From the Fox's Eyes
by AnEmOnE2
Summary: (KB) A Stalker...A demonic beast who holds century long grudges, pinning them against a Flame Koorime and a Humanoid Fox...the connections long past and nearly forgotten by the two in most danger...them and the people they love most. COMPLETE!
1. Rose Whip

Disclaimer: I do not own Yuyu Hakusho or it's many awesome characters.  
  
Author: hey...the name's Anemone.  
  
Kurama: I simply love Anemones...they're such, attractive, flowers...(Anemone begins to feel weak in the knees)  
  
Hiei: Kurama you suck at flirting...  
  
Anemone: Shut up, Hiei! *long silence* er...I mean...hey there, name's Anemone...huge fan of Yuyu Hakusho, as are you, I'd presume. This is pretty much just an attempt towards an Action/Romance type thing, a Ku/B, :'( ya know? And it's my first try so please don't be too negative..with that said, I'd like to continue. ;-)  
  
Kurama: Am I to appear in this story?  
  
Anemone: Uh, yeah...It's about you...and you're one of the two best characters in the whole series *along with Hiei*...this story would be dead without you, fox...seeing as you're the main character here...  
  
Kurama: flattered, but you don't give yourself any cre-  
  
Hiei: -Can it, Red! Just write, human girl, before I lose my thinning patience...  
  
Anemone: Er, right...sure thing...moving on...*whisper* Kurama don't leave me alone with him...  
  
Kurama: Naturally.  
  
Hiei: I heard that...  
  
Kurama: now, now, Hiei...as ruthless as you are, threatening the author isn't very nice...  
  
Anemone: Yeah! thanks, Kurama, dear...(crouches behind Kurama as Hiei glares) *whisper* but just in case keep that Rose Whip handy...Er, anyway to the story!  
  
From the Fox's Eyes  
  
Chapter 1: Rose Whip Heavy breaths escaped the young fox demon as his legs began to break under him. Exhaust swarmed and stung his emerald eyes, sweat beading at his temple. Kurama quickly and without a blink of hesitation stroked his bloodied hand into the wild locks of his crimson hair, clasping a scarlet rose in his tight, quivering grip. "Rose Whip!" he wailed violently, having long past lost his all- around calm nature. This was a life-death situation, and he needed to win at all costs. With a short jerk of his hand, his fresh rose quickly melted into a long, spiked, emerald-shade whip, the scent of roses looming lazily about the fox demon, swelling his powerful, animal-like sense of smell. "Ha!!" he bellowed as the whip lashed the air, striking the enemy down. The mighty creature, Kurama's newest foe, was a demon of arrows, called Ryooki. Ryooki had an intense build, and a brilliant technique, even the sharp-witted Kurama had to admit. This Ryooki character could control his arrows with his spirit energy, and shoot dozens at a time, having complete control over each and giving each its own specific path and target. Kurama had been stabbed a total of seven times, three of which could end as lethal if the fox didn't finish this character off soon. From the sidelines Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara watched, each with his own pains. Kuwabara was weighed in his own injuries, having fought another demon who could breath poison, and had shot the red-headed punk with a gasp of lethal fumes into an open wound on Kuwabara's chest. Now the quirked teenager struggled with breaths from the immense poison circulating in his bloodstream. Hiei stood firm enough beside the oaf, but his battle with an acid-touch, female demon left him branded and scorched with harsh burns. Yusuke had offered to fight Ryooki, but he was left defenseless with his gunning arm limp after his brawl with a very powerful demon whose power was manipulation of his opponent's limbs. No, Kurama was the only one left, even though he had already fought a decent share of the demons present in this underground prison. "Kurama!" Yusuke wailed as the fox demon was punched into the floor, falling limp against the rubble of his impact. "Kitsune, look out!" Hiei shouted harshly to his best friend as another punch of Ryooki's hand came tumbling downward for Kurama's face. The fox's emerald eyes flashed wide with an angry glaze smearing their shade, and with a quick flick of his wrist, Kurama's whip coiled about Ryooki's broad arm-blood staining the thorns of the lime-colored weapon-and the enemy demon was yanked hard into the floor below. Kurama instantly dodged Ryooki's massive body with a graced flip through the air and a soft landing on one knee and two hands. Ryooki lay limp against the massive chunks of rubble broken from his strike into the ground, and Kuwabara couldn't sense a dime's-worth of spirit energy from the creature's body. "Well," Kurama's calm tone escaped his tattered body in heavy sighs. "He's dead enough for us to continue." "Obviously," Hiei smirked as his acute, scarlet eyes stung into the sight of the limp Ryooki. "Remind me, why, why we're here, again..." Kuwabara breathed heavily against the gash on his chest. "Simple," Kurama coiled his arm around his stomach, blood leaking out heavily from a fresh wound and staining deep into the fibers of his sleeve. With a calm stare at the whip held loosely in his weakened grasp, Kurama's spirit energy tamed the weapon back into the form of a gentle, harmless rose, and it was stroked back into his loose, crimson mane. "To save Botan."  
  
a/n: well? What do you think? I mean, I know it's short, and all-- that's because it was meant to have come in at the end of his battle--but I just wanted to see if I should even bother with the idea anymore, cuz I think I could work with the concept...  
  
Kurama: I like it.  
  
Anemone: I knew you would, Kurama, dear...but I was talking to the readers...  
  
Hiei: I only got one line! This sucks...  
  
Kurama: Hiei! Language...  
  
Anemone: you'll be in it more...  
  
Hiei: that blasted, ningen dumb-ass got to say more than me!  
  
Kurama: *whisper* he meant Kuwabara...  
  
Anemone: I figured as much...anywho, please review, but don't be too mean...I've got Kurama and Hiei right here...er...not like that was a threat, or, anything...  
  
Hiei: get to the reviewing so this girl will feel "good" about herself and give me a bigger part than that lame-brain, idiotic, mentally challenged-  
  
Kurama: please review and kindly shut Hiei up.  
  
Hiei: -moronic, dense... 


	2. Lonely Strides

Anemone: hey...how's life? good? good...I feel that this idea can really blossom-  
  
Kurama: heehee I get it...  
  
Anemone: ahem...BLOSSOM, into a decent fic...so, I'm gonna try to continue on with it...unless, of course, you, the readers have any objections?  
  
Hiei: you promised me a bigger part!  
  
Anemone: shh! Ok...moving on, that last chapter was supposed to be the end of an important battle...a lot happens before then, and that's where a few more chapters come in...  
  
Hiei: can you get back to the blasted story, ningen?!  
  
Kurama: Hiei...calm down...  
  
Anemone: here we go, chapter two!  
  
Chapter Two: Lonely Strides  
  
Late one night, in the dead center mid-summer, a lone figure stalked the streets with a weighed heart and an empty void in his soul. He trudged through the park, and was heading in the direction of Yusuke's neighborhood...not really much of a destination, but more walking around His crimson hair was blown in the loose breeze, and his emerald eyes stung into the darkness of the hour.  
  
"Naturally, I am alone," the fox cooed to himself softly, not in complaint, but simply stating a plain fact. Kurama calmly cast his eyes over his shoulder as yet another figure appeared on the scene.  
  
"Yes, Hiei?" Kurama continued his slow stride, ignoring the three- eyed demon stalking him.  
  
"Well, gee, Kurama...you were just complaining about how you were alone, and I figured I'd grant you a favor and grace you with my presence," Hiei smirked calmly.  
  
With a heavy shrug, Kurama continued onward with his meaningless stroll. "Aren't you going to talk, Kitsune?" the shorter of the two commented aloud.  
  
"No."  
  
"Hmpf...so be it, Kitsune," and with that last, seething remark, the demon's entirety disappeared into a smeared flash, and where he once stood was now left barren.  
  
Kurama of course ignored his friend's antics...they were meaningless, and held no distinction that the fox would bother to take to heart. "I suppose, right now...I'd rather be alone, Hiei." the fox breathed calmly over his shoulder, not a blink of emotion reflecting in his tired face. From a tree limb puncturing the air above Kurama's head, Hiei let escape a weighed, annoyed sigh. 'Why are you shunning my efforts, Red? You're too damned depressed...'  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Hahaha!" Botan giggled heartily at Keiko's joke. Both girls were caught in mad hysterics, bubbling over with glee. It was a very warm, yet breezy summer night, so the two girls were enjoying a little sleep-over party out on Keiko's oversized fire escape, where the breeze at least could brush against there faces...of course they'd go inside...eventually. "My Keiko that was some joke!"  
  
"Not as funny as this one time when Yusuke was five and he-" Keiko's sentence was chopped short when Botan's face grew stern. The bluette's facetted pink eyes scanned the area quickly, fear drowning their dark pink into a faint, near white shade. Panic flooded over her as sounds of loose wires cracking grew steadily louder, the last of the fibers of the aluminum wires slowly snapping apart.  
  
"Keiko..." she breathed softly, trying with a mighty strain to remain as calm as her quivering body would allow. "The...fire...escape...is...coming...loose..."  
  
Keiko's caramel eyes broadened to their fullest, a strain of fear staining them. She remained silent for only the briefest of moments when-  
  
"AAHHHHH!"  
  
Kurama's senses jerked back to reality at the sound of the shrill screech. 'A girl...screaming...what could be happening?' the fox's thoughts swarmed over him violently as he broke into a dead-straight bolt for the scream. Even Hiei was slightly intruiged by the sound of the echoing noise, but was a tad too anti-ningen to bother with something that didn't even relate to an evil demon in any way. Kurama, on the other hand, was fully concerned for the safety of this young woman, and intended solely upon himself in necessary on solving her crisis.  
  
-a/n: Hey...yeah, I know...it's a short chapter, but hey, cliffhanger...and I only have so much free time on my hands...I'll try to add more whenever I can squeeze in time.  
  
Kurama: I like this story, Anemone...it's intruiging.  
  
Hiei: I guess it's okay...  
  
Anemone: yay! If Hiei can tolerate it, then I'm in the clear...hopefully...please review  
  
Kurama: ...and please be nice.  
  
Hiei: ...and please do it quickly so I can do more than stalk people...a favorite pastime of mine, yes, but still...and so I have less time to deal with this--*about to say baka about Anemone when Kurama glares threateningly at him...Hiei sighs heavily in annoyance*-- "girl"...  
  
Anemone: if you guys don't like the chapter -- :'( --i'll understand and fix it...hey, i tried Kurama: don't beat yourself up over this, I like it.  
  
Hiei: I personally don't give a damn--*Kurama elbows him, hard*-- Jeez, okay, okay...*heavy sigh* uh, there, there, ningen...  
  
Kurama: refrain from flames if you can *whisper* she's a little sensitive...  
  
Anemone: hey!  
  
Hiei: pipe down, ningen, it's true...  
  
Anemone: gee you're nice...  
  
Hiei: whatever, human...I could kill you in seconds with my Katana if I felt like it!  
  
Kurama: *to Anemone* but alas, he can't for two reasons: firstly I'm here, and secondly...he kind of likes you...  
  
Hiei: WHAT?!  
  
Kurama: please review, continue reading, and ignore Hiei...  
  
Hiei: you dirty lying Kitsune!  
  
Anemone: I hope you are lying, Kurama, dear...although Hiei is one of the coolest characters in all of Yuyu Hakusho, he still kinda scares me in person...  
  
Kurama: exactly why I have to sit between you two whenever we come over... 


	3. A Close Encounter

*Anemone's room...Hiei and Kurama are just hanging out in there, like they've been doing whenever Anemone sits down to write...Hiei is laying on her bed, listening Anemone's Linkin Park CD "Meteroa" on Anemone's walkman...Kurama is sitting at her computer, bored, waiting for something to happen...Hiei is singing along to "Breaking the Habit", rather badly, when both he and Kurama notice the readers are here.*  
  
Hiei: *whispers while watching the readers cautiously* Kitsune...where's the ningen?! Why are those other ningen's looking at me?!  
  
Kurama: *snicker* she isn't here right now, Hiei...  
  
Hiei: *looks around him frantically, as if he broke into the wrong place* but...isn't this her house...?  
  
Kurama: yes...  
  
Hiei: then where is she?!  
  
Kurama: Anemone went to go visit Goku up in the mountains...she told me that she sees us everyday because when she writes, I drop by for a visit and you just, you know...break into her room...and she said that she hadn't seen Goku in ages.  
  
Hiei: then why are we here?!  
  
Kurama: for the story, Hiei...  
  
Hiei: but the ningen isn't here to write it, Kitsune...you're losing your IQ...  
  
Kurama: let me explain, Hiei...she wrote it, but it's saved on her laptop, which she had to take with her to Goku's house because she had to show Gohan some documents saved onto it...and she didn't have time to upload her story because she wrote it during the school day between classes and she didn't have time to get to an internet connection to upload it onto the websight because right after school she went straight for the mountains. She's going to hook it up into the Son's internet connection and e-mail me the story to upload for her.  
  
Hiei: ...how do you know all this?!  
  
Kurama: she called me on her cell phone and told me the entire story...she told me to just go to her computer, upload it, and let you in cuz she figured stopping you from breaking in would be pointless.  
  
Hiei: alright...that makes sense...but wait...if the Son's have an internet connection, why can't she upload it herself up there in the mountains?!  
  
Kurama: *heavy sigh* Hiei, if that were the scenario, then we wouldn't be here...there's most likely a logical reason that that probability isn't plausible.  
  
Hiei: hn. *puts headphone's back on and flops onto Anemone's bed again...a bing sound echoes from Anemone's computer*  
  
Kurama: oh look...the e-mail...and it has a note separate from it: *reads note aloud* "hey guys...thanks for doing this Kurama...and Hiei I know you're in there cuz you're always breaking in...anyway, here's the story, and in case your wondering why i didn't upload it here at Goku's house is because they have a VERY strict parental block on their connection so there's really almost nothing here but e-mail and a couple websights...but anyway, thanks again, Kurama dear."  
  
Hiei: hn...can you upload it now?!  
  
Kurama: *Vegeta smirk* aren't you anxious...  
  
Hiei: it's just that this intro is so damn long...  
  
Kurama: right...here you go readers...enjoy! ***************************************  
  
Chapter 3: A Close Encounter  
  
Kurama sped ferociously through the park with an almost scared look about his young face...almost scared...but not quite. The fox's sensitive ears pricked slightly with each dying echo of the scream, and with each breath his steps were forced faster and faster.  
  
Hiei, perched lightly on the broad limb of an elderly tree, pricked at a familiar sense. With the slightest jerk of his head, the demon had caught the sight of his fox friend racing for the origin of the screams. "Hn," the three-eyed Hiei smirked. "if Kurama's heading for that scream, then I've no reason to feel any form of guilt whatsoever...Kitsune can handle it himself."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Keiko get in the door!" Botan shoved the frantic Keiko back into the apartment with a furiously forceful push. The brunette slipped somewhat, but quickly scrambled her way back into her bedroom, immediately twisting herself to face her best friend again. The fire escape's inch-thick aluminum wires were cracking apart fast, and Botan still sat to the far end of the breaking balcony, her heart racing and her bubbly self diminished.  
  
"Botan!" Keiko wailed, setting herself firm against the frame of her bedroom window and extending her arm as far as her muscles could bear towards her blue-haired friend. Botan was caught in tremendous fear...Keiko's apartment was on the top floor, and no other fire escapes were on this side of the building...just a long, metal ladder extending from the bottom of the escape towards the ground...the hard, cement ground...  
  
"Botan!" Keiko's tone was slightly more irritated, but fear still poured thickly into her voice. The spirit guide clutched firmly against the railing wail, lacing her fingers tightly in between the bars. "BOTAN!"  
  
"Oh fine!" Botan wailed as she threw herself for the window, releasing the bars and scrambling frantically towards Keiko in one swift move. Just as Botan's fingertips brushed Keiko's, another wire snapped, and a rusted bolt on the underside cracked off. The fire escape dove a good foot downwards in a slant, with the spirit guide still caught upon it. Botan yelped a wild scream as the escape collapsed into a tilt, leaving Botan to lace her fingers tightly into the holes of the escape's floor.  
  
"Oh no Botan!" Keiko shrieked, jerking farther to try and reach her friend. Botan pinned herself against the floor of the breaking escape, wincing sharply and keeping her candy eyes clamped shut. Keiko whimpered violently at the fearful sight, but continued to stretch outward for Botan. The blue-haired teenager shivered in fear as her life dangled loosely on this breaking fire escape.  
  
Keiko's hand brushed Botan's just slightly, and th terrified girl reacting with a quick, scared glance at her brunette friend. With a second's worth of time slipped away, Botan quickly ripped her hand free of it's tie into the bars of the escape and claspe Keiko's forearm tightly. Just as this happened, one last wire snapped and one last bolt cracked. In a death silence the escape began to tumble for the ground, at a maddening pace. Botan's other hand was still clasped tightly into the holes of the escape, and the immensely heavy metal yanked her violently from Keiko's tight grasp and to her untimely doom. The escape began to turn itself over, and Botan, gripped tightly onto the floor, was turned with it. When it stopped twisting in the air, and began to fall without change, Botan was stuck on the bottom, meaning she'd hit the ground before the escape and the huge metal balcony would in turn crush onto her.  
  
"NOO!" Keiko shrieked sharply as her best friend was dragged towards the ground. Botan frantically tugged her hand away from the fire escape's floor, and her collapsing form slowly began to grow faster and faster towards the cement, a huge metal balcony straight abov her head. The spirit guide let escape a terrified scream as she continued her plummet for the ground.  
  
Suddenly, Botan was jerked sharply to the side by a strong arm coiled at her back and another tucked firmly under her bends of her knees. She kept her eyes clenched tight and refused to see what had happened, and she felt her form float weightless as it, and the strong arms clutching her, flipped lightly through the air and come to a soft halt. The arms held her low, her feet brushed the ground. Warm breaths tickled her neck, and a booming crash bellowed loudly at least ten yards away. Botan found herself clenching what felt to be a shirt in her quivering grip. Her candy eyes soon blinked wide in confusion...her entire face was trapped in...crimson hair.  
  
A shadow painted over Kurama's face, but the spirit guide knew well it was him. He leaned over so sharply into the ground with his head so low that his scarlet locks had drapped about her entire face, and he held her defensively close to his chest, his arms coiled about her form protectively. As he slowly drew back his head from it's low bow, his serious, stern expression faded into a gentle, kind smile, his emerald eyes gazing softly into her raspberry ones. "Are you alright, Botan?"  
  
Botan quivered in an uneasy silence for an instant, and almost immediately broke down in his arms. Kurama sighed lightly with a relieved smile as the girl's tears locked into the fibers of his shirt. "Shh...it's okay, Botan...I've got you...you're safe now..." Kurama gently tucked her head under his chin as he cooed her gently. "You're fine now...nothing's going to happen to you now...shh..."  
  
Suddenly, another scream pierced the air. Both Kurama and Botan jerked to attention as it echoed loudly, just above them. Kurama whipped around, Botan still tightly nestled in his arms, and saw...Keiko. A wire from the collapsing fire escape had latched onto the sleeve of her shirt...and dragged her viciously from the window. Kurama watched in pure horror as Keiko's screams stained the air, her form being yanked downward until...a black smear stained the sky, and dragged Keiko from her plummet. The girl was tugged in an upward direction until her little journey ended on the roof of another building. Kurama laughed in joy and relief as he saw no other than Hiei, holding the stunned Keiko tucked under his arm and held at his side.  
  
The little demon smirked at the fox, and through his Jagon Eye, his thought's echoed his Kurama's mind. "Reckless, tonight, aren't we, eh Kurama?...good thing my new-found conscience sort-of kicked in and I decided to take a gander at the comotion...otherwise Spirit Detective's little mate would've died a tragically early demise." Kurama simply grinned in response, and Hiei in turn smirked slightly. The brunette then fell limp in unconsciouness in Hiei's arms, the bluette doing likewise in Kurama's. Hiei grunted a soft "Hn" at the young Keiko, and with a light leap, had flown into her bedroom window and dropped the girl heavily onto her bed, his body taking form as a smear in the night sky as he sped for no exact destination. Kurama smiled faintly after his demonic friend, and cast his soft emerald eyes for the girl in his arms, fainted, tear-stained, and--in the spur of the moment, with thousands of thoughts racing through his mind-- truly the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen.  
  
Kurama quickly jerked his eyes away from Botan's face, a light blush clouding his cheeks and nose at the thought of her looks. The young fox sighed heavily as he tudged slowly toward's Keiko's apartment to drop off the spirit guide.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Kurama: my! she certainly got to write a lot during her school day...and what a chapter, whew! I must say...  
  
Hiei: well duh you liked it...it's about you...  
  
Kurama: you're in it as well...  
  
Hiei: it's your story...don't even bother trying to make me feel better by admitting that I appeared in it...  
  
*Anemone enters her room, not in the least bit surprised at the presence of two demons in her bedroom*  
  
Anemone: hey guys.  
  
Kurama: hello.  
  
Hiei: hn.  
  
Anemone: *glances at computer* oh! you uploaded it...thanks, Kurama! *gives him peck on the cheek...Kurama blushes with a timid grin, Hiei rolls his eyes.*  
  
Hiei: ningen...if you like Kurama so much, why are you writing a story about him and Botan? Why not him and you?  
  
Anemone: just friends, Hiei...see...*pecks Hiei on cheek, and he awkwardly blushes and shuts up*...teehee! You see, you're sort of my friend, too, I guess, and since I think of you two pretty much the same, then following your question, why not a fic about you and me? *Hiei pales, Kurama snickers*...actually, now that I think about it, it's a wierd relationship between us where I guess you're comfortable just breaking into my room and I'm comfortable letting you in the waking hours...and see, Kurama here is my friend too! Well a better friend than you but still do you get my point?  
  
Hiei: why is everyone making references to me breaking into your room?! I don't do it THAT often...  
  
Kurama: three times daily isn't that often? *Hiei is shut up again, this time in angry annoyance*  
  
Anemone: I love you guys...you're so funny to deal with...anyway, please review, and please don't be that negative...oh, and for anyone who may be confused...first chapter was way ahead of everything else that's happening...second chapter onward explains how Kurama begins to get feelings for Botan and what leads up to his fight with Ryooki...k? hope that clears up any confusion...anywho, please review, and please be nice...or at least be constructive in your criticism if criticism is necessary.  
  
Kurama: I doubt it is, Anemone...I like this story!  
  
Anemone: you're so sweet! but really guys, be honest in your reviews, but not harsh...kk?  
  
Hiei: *mumbles* I don't break in that often...  
  
Anemone: *rolls eyes* Hiei you're allowed to break into my house, I've already told you...you've been doing it for over six months... 


	4. A Time for Reflection

*Kurama runs frantically into Anemone's room, breathing hard...Hiei leans against Anemone's drawyers, arms folded, looking at Kurama oddly. Anemone, at computer, preparing to write*  
  
Hiei: speak of the devil...we were just talking about you...  
  
Kurama: *breathing heavily* you two...could acutally...hold up a...conversation...on your...own...?  
  
Anemone: it isn't that hard, Kurama...I mean, the guy probably considers my house to be his second home, knowing how often he breaks in *Hiei glares in annoyance*...it's not unlikely that we would grow used to each other...  
  
Hiei: but anyway, the hell have you been, Kitsune? I've been waiting here for like an hour, and she won't start writing unless we're both here, for some reason...all we end up doing while she writes is listening to music, watching TV or eating...  
  
Anemone: well, you obviously enjoy doing it cuz that's what you've BEEN doing since waaaaaaaaaaaaaay before I started writing fanfictions...  
  
Hiei: is it my fault you let me watch your TV?  
  
Anemone: no...but it is your fault that the TV blew up while I was writing a couple nights ago...  
  
Hiei: so I hit a couple wrong buttons...  
  
Anemone: that and you slit it through with your Katana...  
  
Kurama: calm...down...you two...  
  
Hiei: that reminds me...why the hell are you so out of breath?  
  
Kurama: girls...many girls...thousands...chasing me through city...me run, me get here, me seek sanctuary in Mone's room 'til safe for me to venture out...  
  
Hiei: hahaha!  
  
Anemone: *stifles snicker* okay, Kurama dear...maybe all the girls will leave by the time I'm done writing...  
  
Kurama: thanks, Mones...can, can I...lie...lie down...?  
  
Anemone: sure...Hiei got some corn chips on my bed *glares at Hiei* like three minutes ago...so maybe you should brush them off...  
  
Kurama: duly noted...  
  
Hiei: ningen, he's here...story?  
  
Anemone: what's your hurry?  
  
Hiei: long intro...too long...story!  
  
Anemone: jeez, okay, okay...Kurama what do you-  
  
Kurama: *in her bed, one arm flopping off over side of bed, drooling on other arm* zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...  
  
Anemone: ...right...nevermind...here you go, patient readers...chapter 4, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 4: A Time for Reflection  
  
Kurama stalked the streets slowly, thoughts racing madly through his usually calm mind. The fox's scarlet locks blew lightly in the shifting breezes, and his green eyes stung with frustration. A blush stained his cheeks as his thoughts drifted slowly to Botan...for some reason, ever since he saved her and held her close in his arms...ever since those brief seconds her destiny was tampered with...Kurama had lacked his calm, stable self, and was slowly revealing a shaky, tense side hidden brilliantly by his loose nature. 'What is happening to me?' the fox demanded of himself sharply. 'Why is it that I can't focus...and that I constantly find myself thinking about-'  
  
'Botan?' Hiei's voice was thrown into Kurama's fray of thoughts. The fox sighed heavily and called loudly over his shoulder, "What do you want, you eavesdropping little demon?!"  
  
"Well," Hiei snorted in irritation straight above Kurama's head, perched lightly upon a traffic system. "You're sure friendly, today, Kurama..."  
  
With a short, sharp breath, the Kitsune sighed deeply and shook his head slow as if it weighed more than his shoulders could bear. "Sorry, Hiei...I'm just, not myself..."  
  
"You could say that again," Hiei leapt gently from his high perch and with a soft landing in front of Kurama, the little demon regained his composure. "Ever since that whole fire escape scenario three nights ago, you've eaten less, slept less, talked less..."  
  
"And obviously you've stalked me more..." the fox's emerald eyes curled back in annoyance.  
  
"Hn...You've just made it that much easier," Hiei smirked viciously. Kurama sighed a weighed sigh and began to walk a weighed walk. Hiei's keen, scarlet eyes sharpened at Kurama's exiting form, and before the demon could stop himself, Hiei had blurted out something he wanted originally to deal with on his own, and not drag his best friend into. "That fire escape's collapse wasn't an accident," Hiei shouted against his supreme will, pricking up in an awkward silence and a complete realization as Kurama froze, turning to face Hiei with a look of complete horror and confusion.  
  
"What?" the fox growled lowly, but not in intimidation...at least, not intimidating for Hiei. The short demon really only regretted putting more on Kurama's weighed mind--not that he showed his regret--and he really only said it without a blink of consideration to get Kurama's attention. Well, now he had it.  
  
"After you left the annoying spirit guide up in the apartment, I returned to the spot of the fire escape to investigate...well, my snooping paid off and I found several, almost obvious clues to prove that it's fall wasn't a natural effect due to rusting and aging of the wires and bolts."  
  
"What clues?" the fox's tone had eased, and a serious, yet calm air took hold of him.  
  
"Allow me to show you, Kitsune...keep up." Hiei ordered softly, and with that, his entire form melted into the air and he had flown. Kurama grunted gently as he kicked off for a bolt towards Keiko's apartment building.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Hiei stood with a broad chest and an impatient glare as he waited the arrival of Kurama on his little perch at the roof of the apartment building. 'Hn...' he thought venomously. 'He's slower than I thought...'  
  
At the very thought, Kurama's figure quickly appeared on the scene, not a heavy breath to rack his lungs or a drop of sweat to bead his temple from the long run. The fox jerked his sights upward at his short friend, who responded with a slight smirk and a soft grunt. Hiei then melted into the air yet again, and reappeared at the fox's side, eyes cast for the red rust stains tinting the spot where Keiko's fire escape was once placed.  
  
"If you look closely," Hiei said slowly, neither him nor the fox taking their eyes off the spot. "You can tell the tears in the wires weren't natural."  
  
"I see...let us investigate, then..."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Both demons dug their fingers deep into the brick wall of the outside building, just where the fire escape once stood, leaning outward each with one hand hanging loose. Kurama clasped a broken wire in his tight grip, examining it with the most tender attention possible, his green eyes flashing with focus as he studied the tiny slits in each fiber. "You're right, Hiei...these didn't break naturally...they look as if they were slit through with some kind of sword, or dagger...or possibly, an arrow-head...a jagged one, to allow the fibers to show as uneven and to make it appear as if it was all an accident...but, even though the fibers are of different sizes, they all have a clean cut and all slant in the same direction...I take it that was the obvious clue you mentioned?"  
  
"It is...and another," Hiei grunted in response, leaning downward from his slant and focused on the rust stain where the bolts of the fire escape once was. "Look closely, Kitsune...the bolts were dug out, with a sharp weapon..."  
  
"Yes, they were...and the craftmanship is reckless...you can see the shape of a dagger blade, or some sort of long arrow-head creased into the loose brick dust made when they dug into it..."  
  
"And, one other..." Hiei's clenched fist slowly curled open to reveal several of the bolts from the fire escape. "These are completely slit through...they didn't snap on own, but were sliced...very evenly through...perfect edges on both ends, not a snag or jag to be seen..."  
  
"Yes...these predicaments were completely planned and acted upon...but, why..." Kurama sighed to himself in thought.  
  
"Kurama," Hiei eyed him sharply. "Do you not think it is a huge coincidence that this happened when we were in a three-mile radius of this place?"  
  
"What do you mean?" Kurama's emerald eyes narrowed low in suspicion.  
  
"I mean, these clues are of a demon's hand...no human could possibly slice bolts with this precision without either the girls noticing sooner or without some sort of lazer tool...and, we've many enemies in the Spirit World...some known to escape the Spirit World's boundaries in the attempt to simply hunt the two of us down..."  
  
"You're saying this is all a plot to get to you and me?" Kurama eyed his short friend in suspicion. "How do you know that for certain?"  
  
"I don't...but after what happened to the Spirit Guide and Keiko, my Jagon Eye sensed the presence of evil looming about the ally behind the building...a strong demon, fast, too, for I had just missed him." when Kurama responded in utter silence, Hiei's eyes set firm and his voice leaked in a serious tone. "Kurama, I know the demon who is after us...I've met him before."  
  
***************************************************  
  
a/n: oo! I'm loving this...the suspense, it's killing me...sorry if you hate cliffhangers, but I'll try to have the next chapter up within a day or two, hopefully no later than two, because lol i got this one review telling me that it was inhuman to leave cliffhangers like this...sorry! but, I sorta got writer's block...but do not fret! As I said before, I will strain to have chapter 5 up within a day or two, starting it when I get home from school tomorrow...*tomorrow being thursday*...please review and please don't be flamy...latr 


	5. Following Another

*Anemone's room...Kurama still asleep, Hiei trying desperately not to kill the fox as he snores VERY loudly*  
  
Anemone: hey, readers...heh, Kurama's still asleep...  
  
Hiei: what the hell?! It's been like five hours!...what the hell did those ningen women do to the guy?!  
  
Anemone: well, Hiei, Kurama is a hottie...and without a female escort with him at all times, he's liable to run into Kurama fan club mobs.  
  
*Long pause...Hiei blinks at Kurama, who twitches slightly in his sleep, still snoring...glares at Anemone in annoyance*  
  
Hiei: yeah, I can see why people think he's a catch...  
  
Anemone: *lol* anyway, oh yeah...the suspensful cliff-hanger...where will they go? what will they do?!  
  
Hiei: frankly, ningen, I don't give a damn...  
  
Kurama: *gurgling awake* ...and what a bad movie Gone With the Wind was...ick I hated it...  
  
Hiei: kitsune! Thank God...your snoring was driving me NUTS!  
  
Kurama: *look of blank confusion* I don't snore...  
  
Hiei and Anemone: ...  
  
Kurama: oh thanks Mones for letting me use your bed...  
  
Anemone: no problem, Kurama, sweety...anyways, guess what!  
  
Hiei: what, ningen?  
  
Anemone: I wasn't talking to you, Hiei...and besides, you already know...  
  
Hiei: oh...your new idea that you wouldn't shut up about...  
  
Anemone: be quiet! Ok, anyway readers...this is not just a Ku/B fic any longer...it will now be a Kurama/Botan, and a slight Yusuke/Keiko, Kuwabara/Yukina...but don't fret! It will still revolve mostly upon our favorite fox demon *Kurama blushes and smiles*  
  
Hiei: note she leave me *glares* alone...  
  
Anemone: well, there aren't any more characters I could pin you with...besides, you make a good, solid bachelor.  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Anemone: ok anyway chapter 5!  
  
Hiei: enjoy *whisper* she's making me say this I really don't care if you like it or not- *gets elbowed by Anemone* ow! Ok, jeez...  
  
Chapter 5: Following Another  
  
"So, Keiko," Yusuke slipped his arm gently about her shoulders. The two were slowly returning home after school--a day Yusuke bothered to entirely attend--both presently in the backyard of their building heading for his apartment...and he was still very much defensive of her since the fire escape incident. "What do you wanna do?"  
  
"I dunno, Yusuke..." her tone was soft and weighed...she hadn't been herself since she nearly collapsed to her death. Yusuke could sense her troubled emotions, and gently drew her against his chest, his strong arm drapping her shoulders and holding her loosely, yet with an air of strict protection.  
  
"Hey, you're okay," Yusuke cooed softly as he nestled his cheek into her hair. "And you're going to stay okay...I promise."  
  
"Really?" Keiko's caramel eyes bobbed upward to lock into his chocolate ones.  
  
"Yeah," Yusuke smirked at her softly, massaging his hand up and down her arm gently. With a faint smile, Keiko nestled her head under his chin and slipped her hand to her shoulder to grasp his. Yusuke sighed heavily, a warm air tickling her forehead. When the brunette let slip a tiny giggle, Yusuke smirked mischievously at his girlfriend and wrapped his arms around her, tickling her lightly at the stomach. Keiko wriggled playfully in his grasp, laughing lightly at the tickles. Yusuke, laughing heartily by now, broke away from her and jogged a few steps ahead, Keiko fast on his heels and giggling madly.  
  
Yusuke teased and taunted her wordlessly as he jumped from side to side, Keiko giggling hard as she tried to catch her boyfriend. In a train of thought as to get him to stop, Keiko blurted out in her most serious tone, "Kurama? Is that you?" in a random, upward direction. Yusuke immediately jerked to a halt and scanned his chocolate eyes about the area, and Keiko pounced him. With a gasp of a "hup!" at her impact against him, the boy was pinned tightly to the ground under his girlfriend's body. Yusuke stared up at her in shock, but his stunned expression soon melted into a broad, happy grin, and he weaved his arms around her back and rolled them over, with him now on top. Keiko then firmed her caramel eyes sharp as a smirk brimmed her lips, and she in turn hoisted them over...the two continued rolling around in the grass, laughing lightly, until Yusuke finally gave in and lay heavily on the ground. Keiko rolled off his tired form, breathing hard herself, and stared up into the sky, as he did.  
  
"Wow, Keiko," he breathed coursely. "you've got a LOT of 'woman' in ya!"  
  
Keiko's cheeks stunned red at his remark, and her hand graced the air in preparation for a smack. "YUSUKE YOU JERK!" she wailed as her hand came down to slap his face. Suddenly, his hand coiled loosely about her wrist. Keiko paused, watching him with intent eyes. A soft, honest smile gripped his lips as he turned to face her, his breaths now tamed. His eyes gazed her softly, and she couldn't help but freeze up slightly. Yusuke then lazily rolled over slightly, flopping his arm at her waist and, with a light heave back in his former position, he had hoisted her back on top of him. Yusuke smiled kindly at her, his chocolate eyes reflecting a true happiness. Keiko's caramel eyes softened at his sincerity, and she nestled into his chest. Yusuke in turn drapped an arm around her back, massaging her gently. With his other hand, he cupped her chin and drew her head upward. With a slight tug of his wrist, he dragged her face slowly to his, and locked her into a kiss, deep, and loving.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"What do you mean?!" Kurama eyed Hiei with trembling stares. His emerald eyes flashed violently as he stared intently upon his demon friend.  
  
"Simply this, Kitsune...our enemy knows me, and I him."  
  
"How do you know him?"  
  
"Actually, Kitsune...you should know him better than me."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean...?" the fox's eyes narrowed sharply in suspicion as his short friend took to a strict silence. "Hiei!"  
  
"Ugh, fine! But don't shoot the messenger..." he sighed heavily. "His name is...it's something, something like Grandi..."  
  
"...and?" Kurama shrugged lightly. "Why does that matter?"  
  
"Because, Kitsune...think back, to beyond your fifteen human years...think hard...does that name not spark a memory?"  
  
"Not a one, Hiei."  
  
"Hn..." the demon growled. "then I suppose I must tell you..."  
  
"Tell me what?! Hiei, how do you know this 'Grandi' character?! And how should I?! What does he want with us?!"  
  
"Ok, ok, Kitsune...don't pop a vein..." Hiei rolled his eyes, Kurama curling his fist into the demon's collar and dragging the demon closer, an angry, impatient glare. Hiei "hn"d and ripped his collar free. "Well, he want's revenge on me because...well, my father was his best friend, my mother was whats-his-name's crush...needless to say, after my father died, the only person for whats-his-name to continue hating was me...the very symbol of my father's betrayal to him...the child who ensured my mother could never be his."  
  
Kurama's eyes softened at the story. "I'm sorry, Hiei..."  
  
"Hn," the demon grunted, shrugging the pain of remembering his mother off his strong shoulders. "And, the reason you should know him, Kitsune..."  
  
"Yes?" Kurama sparked up, a calm patience about him now.  
  
Hiei bowed his head low in a heavy sigh, unable to find the right words for the next thing he'd have to say. "this Grandi guy, or whatever his name is...he...he's..."  
  
"What, Hiei?" Kurama's tone was soft, his eyes flashing lightly.  
  
Hiei again shifted in a weighed sigh, and he drew his eyes away from Kurama. "He is your demon father."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
a/n: sorry about the other cliff-hanger, cliff-hanger haters! But, I can't help it...lol I'm addicted to them...lol but anyway, oo! this is cool! a stalker demon, Kurama's demon father...lol surprises still in store, I promise you...  
  
Kurama: *traumatized look* WHAT?! My father is an evil demon that wants me DEAD?!  
  
Hiei: oh calm down, Kitsune...MY father was an evil demon that wanted ME dead...  
  
Anemone: heh, aren't they cute?  
  
Hiei: was that part with Yusuke and Keiko really all that necessary, Mones?  
  
Anemone: no, but then again...until Yusuke and Kuwabara have true parts in this, they'll have random moments like that  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Kurama: *pout* what about me and Botan?  
  
Anemone: I'll get to that, Kurama, dear...but putting Botan in this fray wouldn't have made sense...  
  
Hiei: o and Yusuke's little rendezvous with his girlfriend made sense?  
  
Anemone: actually, it will...you have to wait for the next chapter, though...latr! 


	6. The Plot Thickens

*Anemone's room...she's at comp, Kurama's pruning her one plant, and Hiei's got her Meteora CD on full blast...both Hiei and Anemone sing along to track 7, "Faint" (my favorite song on the whole CD), not really planned but instinctively shifting the lines between themselves...Kurama double takes when he notices the readers come in, and Hiei and Anemone remain oblivious*  
  
Anemone: ...I am, a little bit on lonliness, a little bit of disregard...  
  
Hiei: ...handful of complaints but I can't help the fact that everyone can see these scars...  
  
Anemone: I am, what I want you to want...  
  
Kurama: Mones...  
  
Anemone: -what I want you to feel...  
  
Kurama: *shifty eyes* Mones...  
  
Hiei: ...but it's like no matter what I do I can't convince you...  
  
Kurama: ...hello...?  
  
Hiei: ...to just believe this is real...  
  
Kurama: you guys!  
  
Anemone: So I, let go, watching you...  
  
Kurama: stop ignoring me!  
  
Anemone: Turn your back like you always do...  
  
Kurama: HELLO!  
  
Hiei: dammit Kurama what is it?!  
  
Kurama: *whispers* the readers are here...*Hiei and Anemone stare wide-eyed out at the readers...*  
  
Anemone: oh...uh...  
  
Hiei: chapter 6! here it is! *whisper* write, ningen, write! *Anemone types furiously to finish the last few lines...*  
  
Anemone: okay, okay...but first, I would just like to thank my reviewers...you've all been so nice! Thanks...I wasn't sure if you'd like the idea or not, but I think I'm pretty much convinced to keep up with it...so thanks again, reviewers!  
  
Hiei: story, ningen!  
  
Anemone: alright, alright...here you go! Chapter 6!  
  
Chapter 6: The Plot Thickens  
  
Yusuke jerked upward in a sitting position, Keiko in his lap and locked in his lips. He deepened the kiss with a passionate behavior, combing his fingers through her mane and massaging her back in a tight hug. Keiko moaned slightly in contentment...this was their first kiss ever...they weren't really a true couple before...it was somewhat like a silent agreement...but now, now they were transfixed with each other, in a mad, spur of the moment attitude.  
  
"Well, they're certainly friendly with each other today," a sharp tongue seethed from behind. Yusuke, instinctively used to the voice, ripped apart from Keiko gently and lightly placed her on the ground, a deep scarlet staining his cheeks. Hiei snickered.  
  
"Hiei, you didn't have to go and do that...we could've come back later," Kurama scolded the short demon. Hiei grunted in response.  
  
"How much later, Kitsune? Firstly, we need the Detective's help now...secondly, any later and they might have had a litter..." Keiko blushed a deep crimson, shifting her position to face away from all three boys...Yusuke was trying desperately to hold back a bullet from going straight through the demon's little head...  
  
"And thirdly, I just wanted to see their reactions with my oh-so well- timed interuption."  
  
"Oh man you're gonna get it, Hiei!" Yusuke whirled around violently, kicking to his feet. The fox stepped in his way.  
  
"He was joking, Yusuke...I apologize for his rudeness...especially to Miss Keiko," Kurama glared back over his shoulder towards the three-eyed aperition, his emerald eyes stinging with annoyance. "But, I am afraid that his first statement--and only the first one--is true...we are in need of your assistance, Yusuke."  
  
The young spirit detective was far more prone to listening to Kurama's reasonings than to Hiei's at the moment, so the youth plopped himself down and motioned for the demon's to do likewise. "What's the matter?"  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"So, uh, Yukina...I think you're gonna like this place," Kuwabara smiled with a beam of pride in himself as he slowly led the blindfolded girl towards the butterfly sanctuary.  
  
Yukina's mint hair fell loosely over the bandana strung about her scarlet eyes, and a smile stung her lips. "Is it much farther, Kazuma?"  
  
"Not much, baby..." he grinned broadly at his brilliance. "We're almost there..."  
  
"Oh, I just can't wait to see where we're going, Kazuma..." she giggled slightly. "I hope I do like it as much as you say I will..."  
  
"I think you will!" He really outdid himself this time...she was bound to love this, all the butterflies...she'd love him!  
  
"Here we are!" Kuwabara gently strung the bandana from her crimson eyes, draping an arm about her shoulders. Yukina's mouth gaped at the sight...colors, thousands on first glance filled her sights and senses, and each butterfly's wings were facetted in millions of flicks of color, in billions of shades. Yukina burst into a squeal of glee at the beautiful, gentle creatures, lightly stepping into the depths of the sanctuary. Giggles spurred from her delicate form as groups of butterflies perched weightlessly on the folds of her teal kimono. The lovely demon was stricken in awe of the beauty of this nature, and her blood eyes reflected a true happiness when they scanned to lock onto Kuwabara.  
  
"Kazuma...this is the nicest, and most thoughtful thing anyone has ever done for me!" her light-hearted, kind tone tickled his senses when he heard those words...and he nearly fainted when her arms draped about his neck in a close hug. "Thank you, Kazuma! This is the most fun I've ever had!"  
  
"Aw," Kuwabara massaged the back of his head with a broad grin. "You're welcome, Yukina...I just figured, you know, you love animals and nature so much that this would be the perfect date."  
  
Yukina nodded lightly, her naive eyes escaping his sights and spanning the sanctuary once more, the thousands of colors singeing at her vision. Joy pulsed through her veins at the very sight of such beautiful creatures, and she was truly beginning to feel something more than mere friendship towards her Kazuma.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Wow," Yusuke breathed heavily, the only response he was capable of making. Kurama's story was truly a doozy of a case...not only was this stalker Kurama's demon father--who wished to take his son from the living because Kurama became human--but he also sought revenge upon Hiei for something his father did, and that Hiei unwillingly symbolized. Not only that, but Kurama and Hiei didn't even know what his name was.  
  
Keiko laced her arm in Yusuke's after the pounding story hit her...she was a target in turn of Botan being a target...and Hiei had scoffed to her in particular that since she was involved that night, she would now become a real target for this crazed demon to deal with. Yusuke cupped his hand over hers, staring blankly into the grains of dirt beneath them.  
  
"So you see, we are in need of your assistance," Kurama shifted in a weighed sigh. "We don't know what he plans."  
  
"I've an idea," Hiei piped, not an emotion to claim his features as he leaned against a mighty tree not three yards away. "He's going to find our weaknesses, and use it against us."  
  
"Like what? You guys don't have any weaknesses..." Yusuke raised an eyebrow at Hiei's remark.  
  
"Oh, but we do, as all others do," Kurama shook his head solemnly. "But Hiei, why then did he attack Keiko and Botan?"  
  
"Had you posed this question before we came here, I would have answered Kitsune..." the demon grunted.  
  
"Hiei!" Keiko seethed angrily. The demon responded with a deep 'hn', but he did turn to face the others.  
  
"Very well...Kurama, he...he's been stalking us lately."  
  
"What?!" the fox wailed, wide-eyed.  
  
"Yes...you see, over the past couple of weeks...my Jagon Eye has sensed a presence of evil in any area near myself and or you...only flicks of it at a random time, and then it would disappear, too fast for me to trace...I never paid much heed to it until now, for when I sensed the demon behind Keiko's apartment building, it was the same feeling as I had picked up at random times before."  
  
"And you refrained from telling me?" the fox demanded softly, more a statement than a question.  
  
"Obviously...and, to answer your question...why Botan and Keiko...while following us around, I suppose he concluded your weakness to be Botan."  
  
Kurama jerked an inch back, eyes stung wide and cheeks stung red. "W- what?!"  
  
Yusuke muffled a snicker. "Oh, come on, Kurama...it's obvious you like her..."  
  
"What?!" the fox wailed in surprise.  
  
"Calm down, this isn't a sleepover party where we try to embarrass each other," Hiei seethed. "It's plain truth, Kitsune, that your demon father assumes Botan is your weakness."  
  
"Very well...but why Keiko?" Kurama slowly took the girl's hand in his to ensure her safety.  
  
"I suppose she just happened to be there," Hiei shrugged. "Either that or he's trying to piss off Yusuke as well as you and me, Kitsune."  
  
Yusuke instinctively clasped Keiko's free hand, lacing his fingers tightly into hers. "He wouldn't dare go that far..."  
  
"But, Hiei...are you not worried he'll find, your, weakness, in Yukina?" Kurama's emerald eyes flashed a brilliant shade, and the short demon sparked in fear.  
  
"Why do you think I never told her who I was?"  
  
Yusuke drew back a sharp breath. "that's why she doesn't know you're her brother? Because you think this demon will find out and use it against you?"  
  
"Exactly..." Hiei's eyes stung a sharp, flaming crimson. "when I was a little boy, the last time I ever saw him, he warned me that one day, he'd slaughter all who I was close to." Yusuke and Keiko both pulled back in slight, silent gasps, and Kurama's eyes refelcted a pain burning madly within him. "So," the little demon continued. "When I found Yukina, I knew that if she knew I was her brother, she'd try to be close to me...and if that were the case, this psychopathic demon would slay her, an innocent, naive young woman who's probably never done so much as swear in her entire life. That's why I hide my feelings, and the truth...so he can't find my weakness and kill me with it."  
  
"It all makes sense," Kurama mumbled in thought. "why he attacked Botan, the whole thing with the fire escape, everything you've said makes perfect sense, Hiei...I suppose being a stalker like yourself pays off, ne?"  
  
"Hn," the demon grunted. "we must stop your father before he kills all those close to us...where's the intellectually challenged ningen?"  
  
"Kuwabara's on a date with Yukina," Yusuke replied aloud, more focused on how to protect Keiko.  
  
"WHAT?!" Hiei wailed in a fury, and Yusuke knew then he had made a tremendous mistake.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
a/n: hey there! sups? yeah, this is a tad longer than I'm used to in this fiction, but I got pretty into it lol...anywho, oh, Hiei's mad right about now...  
  
Hiei: well duh I'm mad! Who the hell does that disgusting, idiotic, moronic fool think he is taking MY little sister on a date?!  
  
Kurama: well, Hiei...I'm sure if he knew you were her brother, he would've asked you first, ne?  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Anemone: yeah Hiei...lol how IS he supposed to crash this date without looking like a freak? Or will he crash it at all? What will he do?!  
  
Hiei: you're the writer...that's your job to figure this out...  
  
Anemone: lol...  
  
Hiei: what?  
  
Anemone: *snicker* oh, nothing...*whispers idea to Kurama, and he starts laughing, Hiei looking almost scared.*  
  
Kurama: *snicker* review please and let's hope that Hiei doesn't get TOO mad with Anemone's idea...  
  
Hiei: what?! What are you doing?! WHAT?! 


	7. A Date Woven

*Normal setting...Hiei's lying on the couch in Mones's room, listening to her Meteora CD again, this time the song "Numb"...Anemone bobs head along with music, Kurama humming along. Anemone notices readers*  
  
Anemone: hey guys! as you can obviously tell, this is our favorite CD...we're always listening to it...that and other punk rock bands...my favorite music genre...  
  
Hiei: *sarcasm* your "Anemone Fun-Fact of the Day", ladies and gentlemen...a random fact about her life you didn't need to know...  
  
Kurama: *snicker* Hiei...that was uncalled for...  
  
Anemone: *shrug* oh well...rock music keeps me alive and kicking, I don't care who knows it!  
  
Hiei: me neither! I love Linkin Park! *threatening glare* and all those who disagree shall taste my Katana...  
  
Kurama: heh, don't mind him folks...*guards Hiei away from readers* liking certain bands is your own business...  
  
Anemone: whatever, Fox...but anyway, chapter 7! wait, chapter 7? Already?! We're already that far into the story?!  
  
Kurama: yes...but it seems like less because your chapters are relatively short.  
  
Anemone: well we'll just have to fix that, now, won't we? *evil laugh*  
  
Hiei: oh shit...your actually gonna do something mean to me?! but, I thought I settled it with you already! No torture!  
  
Anemone: you'd think with his Jagon Eye he'd sense my CROSSED FINGERS!  
  
Hiei: WHAT?! YOU EVIL NINGEN! *held back by Kurama, who gives her nervous look*  
  
Kurama: that wasn't very wise, Mones...  
  
Anemone: do you seriously think I care? Story!  
  
Chapter 7: A Date Woven  
  
"THAT LITTLE-" Hiei seethed through tightly grit teeth. "Who the HELL does he think he IS taking MY little sister on a DATE?!"  
  
"Hiei, calm down," Kurama's emerald eyes flashed sternly at his demon friend.  
  
"SCREW YOU I'M GONNA GET THAT LITTLE-UGH!!!" Hiei wailed, holding nothing back in his raw anger. His form jerked into a smudge, sharply tinted flicks of the air with his angry aura.  
  
"Good thing he doesn't know they're at the Butterfly Sanctuary..." Yusuke stared blankly after the angry Hiei, and Kurama slapped his forhead, as Hiei's evil snickers echoed telepathically into the fox's mind, bragging about his new found information.  
  
"Yusuke! He heard you!" the fox scolded sharply at the teenager. "We best pay our last respects on Kuwabara's soul..."  
  
"No, Kurama! You've gotta do something, he looks so mad..." Keiko groaned towards the fox, who had to soften at her antics. With a shifting sigh, Kurama slowly stood from the patch he had prior claimed as his seat, and heading calmly for the butterfly sanctuary.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Hiei's anger was boiling over as he headed for his destination. "That idiotic fool is not worthy for Yukina! The hell does he think he is?!"  
  
"Hiei, calm down," a familiar tone echoed upwards towards Hiei, who had taken a second's worth a break from his journey. Hiei didn't even flinch at Kurama's presence.  
  
"Leave, Kitsune, or you too shall feel my wrath and stain my Katana!"  
  
"Like you'd ever try to kill your best friend, Hiei."  
  
"I've no friends..." the demon grunted softly, casting his eyes away.  
  
"You've me, as a friend...do I not count?"  
  
"Hn."  
  
"Heh," the fox coughed a chuckle. "I see...is it simply the threat of my father that you wish not to tell anyone your true feelings?"  
  
Hiei didn't even grace this with his usual grunt. The demon simply cast his crimson eyes for Kurama, and melted into nothingness...no doubt towards the butterfly sanctuary.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Oh, Kazuma! That was the most fun day I ever had!" Yukina giggled lightly, wrapping her light arms about Kuwabara's neck and dragging him into a light hug. Kuwabara's cheeks stung red as an awkward smile graced his goofy face.  
  
"Heh, well, you know, *baby*" he more grunted out the word 'baby'..."I just wanted you to have fun! With me!"  
  
Yukina giggled lightly, her mint hair falling slightly towards one end as her head tipped in a light angle. Kuwabara, being the head-over- heels romantic he was, gently--and almost awkwardly--brushed his hand against her face to set aside the stray locks of mint cascading about her eyes. His cheeks were burning a mad scarlet at the touch, and Yukina blinked almost confused, yet happy crimson eyes.  
  
Kuwabara pricked slightly at her accepting reaction, but continued to comb her hair aside gently. Yukina smiled softly, a blush tinting her cheeks. Kuwabara chuckled softly, and lightly tucked her bushy mint locks behind an ear. Yukina pricked almost awkwardly, but she didn't care. Maybe, maybe all those funny things he's been saying...all those jokes about true love...maybe, maybe he wasn't joking...maybe he was telling the truth after all this time...and maybe, maybe she was starting to feel the same way. Her breaths escaped her lightly at the thought that she could be in love...but, in truth, she couldn't be happier.  
  
Kuwabara beamed lightly, his face still stained red. Yukina coughed an awkward smile, and, in the spur of the moment, she dug her lips into his. Kuwabara nearly passed out from the shock and joy racking his senses so violently. Yukina was sparked with a wanting for him, and, being as inexperienced as the innocent demon was, she could have hurt him from her forceful kiss. Not that Kuwabara minded, of course...as soon as she ripped away, Kuwabara made HIS move...the teenager gently tucked his hands under her chin, and, softly this time, pressed her lips into his. Yukina fell weak in the knees, drapping her arms about his neck to keep balance.  
  
"Hn," Hiei grunted to himself, seeing the two kiss...willingly. 'I suppose...that she doesn't hate him...and, she deserves to be happy, and if this fool just happens to be what makes her happy, then...well, I'd be an even worse brother than I already am to get in the way...hn...' and with that last thought, the demon kicked off for home.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Kurama, eyes cast downwards, halted from his liesurely stroll when a flash sparked behind him. The fox didn't flinch in away way at Hiei's dash by, but rather smirked, knowing that Kuwabara was indeed alive and well.  
  
"W-whoa!!" a familiar voice wailed shakily just beyond the next turn of the sidewalk. Kurama pricked up somewhat, realizing immediately who it was...Botan. "Botan?" Kurama eased calmly towards the turn, hands tucked neatly in his pockets, a broad stature. Suddenly, a mass of blue clouded his eyes with a sharp, hard impact to his chin. Botan wailed out after her head had rammed into Kurama's, but was more interesting was her oar. She clasped hard onto it, as if for dear life, as it shook violently from side to side.  
  
"Ku-Kurama! H-help-p me!" she wailed as her oar shot viciously upward, and froze, a weightlessness taking over. "AHH!"  
  
"Botan!" Kurama stared up in confusion, his emerald eyes flashing. Suddenly, Botan's oar swooped downward, pulling up just before contact with the pavement, and dragged along...Kurama. The fox demon had been latched against his will to the wooden rower, and it shot straight upward into the air, Botan clasping with all her might, Kurama dangling off the side. His eyes bugged outward at the immense height gained...too high for him to jump and live. Suddenly, the oar stopped, in midair, and there it floated unmoving. Kurama shifted in a weighed sigh, kicking his leg over the oar and gaining a composure on the seat. "Botan, are you alright?"  
  
The Spirit Guide blinked wide, scared candy eyes, patting down her sapphire locks with the last shred of dignity she could muster. "I...I don't know what happened, Kurama..."  
  
"Well, you obviously lost control..." he smiled softly.  
  
"That's just it! I didn't summon the oar! Nor did I steer it!"  
  
"You...you mean it did that...on it's own?!"  
  
"Heh, Bingo..."  
  
"Well, can you steer it downwards?" Kurama's eyes flashed hopefully, until her head shook solemnly.  
  
"I've been trying, Kurama...it won't budge..."  
  
And there they sat in a lacing silence, Kurama's eyes flashing sharply in emerald shock, and Botan's eyes widening broadly in candy innocence.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone and Hiei: hahahaha!  
  
Kurama: that wasn't very nice, Mones...  
  
Anemone: *snickers* sorry, Kurama, dear...but, as I told you before in the last chapter, Hiei's torture will be later.  
  
Hiei: nani?!  
  
Anemone: nia-ha-ha!  
  
*Kurama Vegeta-smirks at Hiei, who pales*  
  
Hiei: you're still gonna torture me?!  
  
Kurama: yes, I think it's fair...  
  
Anemone: yeah, I think I will...don't worry, Kurama, dear...you'll enjoy this little rendezvous with Botan.  
  
Kurama: truly?  
  
Anemone: I think you will.  
  
Kurama: well, then I suppose I'm not mad...  
  
Hiei: I'm pissed enough for the both of us! You're STILL gonna torture me?!  
  
Anemone: obviously...but anyways, review, and adieu. 


	8. Dangling Together

*Anemone's room...Hiei's eating a huge bowl of ice cream on her couch, Kurama's in meditation in the far corner, Anemone's fiddling around with I/M...Hiei notices readers first.*  
  
Hiei: *groans* Mones...they're here...  
  
Anemone: *signing off* hey guys! chappie 8, coming up.  
  
Kurama: shhhh...  
  
*Anemone and Hiei exchange glances, Hiei shrugging with an "I dno" look plastered heavily on his face.*  
  
Anemone: have you reached awareness yet, fox? *Hiei snickers*  
  
Kurama: *still meditating* no...almost...shh...  
  
Anemone: lol whatever...anyway, heh, yeah...poor Kurama and Botan...why did she lose control of her oar? Why are they floating seven miles up in midair? lol well, here's to find the answer!  
  
Hiei: *eating ice cream* where's your Meteora CD, Mones?  
  
Anemone: I thought you had it...*Hiei pales*  
  
Hiei: oh...uh, oh yeah...*shifty eyes*  
  
Anemone: *threatening glare* what did you do...? *Hiei's eyes shift faster*  
  
Kurama: I've done it! I've reached awareness!  
  
Anemone and Hiei: ...  
  
Kurama: ...what?  
  
Anemone: my Meteora CD better be found by the end of this chapter, Hiei!  
  
Hiei: heh, uh...  
  
Kurama: chapter 8...enjoy.  
  
Chapter 8: Dangling Together  
  
Kurama's shoulder's bore weight to a heavy, slow sigh. The demon quickly coiled his legs over the sides of the oar, leaning back against Botan's back. The bluette jerked slightly from the unexpected touch, but her candy eyes caught the glimpse of a calm, lazy fox, who seemed to remain oblivious to her reaction. With a light sigh, she nestled back against him, and there they kept themselves in comfortable balance.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Hiei's form smeared the sky with the slightest hint of his dash by. He was solely concentrated on his rush through the air, and the true feeling of freedom it enabled him. The one thing he could honestly show his feelings towards...the only thing in the world that can't be harmed, and can't in any way be considered Hiei's weakness. His speed.  
  
Suddenly, in the dead center of the slightest millisecond, the demon pricked in sure fear. A blade of some kind graced his cheek, and a streak of red tinted his face. Hiei froze for that millisecond's time, fear staining his face.  
  
"Be prepared for my revenge, Hiei," a course, cruel voice, choked and scratched, scoffed teasingly at the terrified demon. His Jagon Eye swelled in a maddening pain at the overwhelming evil looming behind him...for less than a millisecond, before it vanished into nothingness. Hiei pricked in pure shock and fear as he landed softly to a roof of another building, shock setting his crimson eyes wide.  
  
"Oh shit," he breathed quivering breaths, unable to trace the swift demon, who was father to his fox friend. "I am so screwed..."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Kurama breathed a weighed sigh as he hung seven miles straight up in the air, Botan copying his antics. Kurama coughed a soft chuckle, a light smile gracing his lips. In the brief moment, the fox caught a light, lovely aroma. Kurama deepened his breaths to catch the scent again...it was of light, sweet cinnamon...and it loomed just behind him. The fox shifted himself slowly on the oar to catch the sweet aroma, and after a few moments, was faced with angry, offended candy eyes.  
  
"Kurama!"  
  
"What?" he jerked to reality, the memory of the scent slipping from him. He blinked wide, confused emerald eyes.  
  
"What do you mean 'what'?!" her voice squeaked angrily, scarlet tinting her cheeks. "You were smelling my hair!"  
  
Kurama's cheeks stained red, and he shrunk away awkwardly..."heh, sorry Botan...I smelled something nice and, I guess I didn't realize it was your hair..."  
  
"Hmph..." she grunted in a fake, angry expression, a blush stinging her cheeks.  
  
"I apologize, Botan." he cast his face downwards in fake shame, a sweetness hazing his voice.  
  
"Well..." her narrowed eyes dimmed wider, and she sighed lightly. "It's alright, Kurama."  
  
He responded with no more than a relieved smile...at least she wasn't mad at him...that would truly be a doozy of a situation, the one person your stuck up seven miles in midair with on an oar being angry with you...good thing that wasn't the circumstance. A long pause drifted between them, a silence that was driving Botan nuts.  
  
"I can't believe this happened!" she whined loudly, pounting her bottom lip and sinking her shoulders low. Kurama chuckled slightly.  
  
"Well, at least you're not alone," he tipped his head for the side, a soft smile staining his lips. In a fray of thoughts, Botan's mind traced over the idea 'he is SO damn cute...' and she pricked back to reality, crimson tinting her cheeks.  
  
"What?" Kurama nudged her shoulder with his, his smile curving towards more of a smirk. Her blush deepened. "What is it?" he chuckled.  
  
"Nothing." she stated, prim and flat. Kurama let it go with a roll of his eyes and soft smile.  
  
Suddenly, a slow, rolling wind slipped by, icing the two. Kurama wasn't that much bothered...but Botan shivered violently.  
  
"Are you alright, Botan?" he slid closer to her side.  
  
"It's so cold..." she shivered viciously. Her skin paled lightly, and her cheeks stained pink. The fox, unharmed from the cold wind, quickly slipped from his jacket, gently leaning in towards her to drape the cloak about her shoulders. As he did so, she jerked her face to his, and their noses brushed against each other slightly, they were that close. Kurama pricked, a faint red leaking over the slope of his nose and into his cheeks. In an awkward pause between the two, Kurama quickly slipped his jacket about her arms and jerked away, his face stinging in a mad blush.  
  
At that instant, tiny beads of crystal began to drop onto them. Kurama's emerald eyes flashed wide...rain...oh great...  
  
Botan tightened her grip about his jacket, stretching it tightly over her shoulders as a maddening cold overtook her frail body. A shiver shook her yet again, and the jacket barely helped. Kurama sensed her cold, and slid down the surface of the oar, gently tugging the jacket open and sliding his arm under it's leather, wrapping a warm, strong arm about her cold shoulders. Botan's face singed scarlet, but he coughed a timid smile. Kurama looked at her with soft, silk eyes, a kind, timid smile tipping his lips in a half-smirk. The fox coiled his other arm about her collarbone, massaging the shoulder farthest from his reach and holding her close to his warm body. He then laced his fingers into his bushy mane, slowly retracting a water lily.  
  
With a push of spirit energy, the flower was engulfed in a light aura, it's silk petals sprouting widely, it's stem lengthening in several feet. Kurama held the "umbrella" tightly over the two, gently rubbing her shoulders, as beads of silver pummeled down hard at them, whipping at his bare arms.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Koenma, sir," Ogre staggered nervously, his eyes glued solely upon the wide screen stretched before Koenma's desk.  
  
"What, Ogre?!" the toddler seethed angrily. "I'm busy..."  
  
"But...are you sure it was wise doing that to Kurama and Botan?" Ogre winced at the sight of the two teenagers clasping each other in the hard rain. "I mean...what if they find out that you were the one to summon her oar and trap them up in the air? And cause that wind? And that rain?"  
  
"Shut up, Ogre! I am fully aware of what I am doing..."  
  
"heh...are you really, sir? And, why did you do it, anyway?"  
  
"Well, Ogre...not that it's any of your business...but, Kurama and Botan definitely have feelings for each other, and I wanted to give them a little push in the right direction..."  
  
Ogre blinked slowly at the screen, revealing two people trapped high in the air and trying to keep each other warm. "Uh, maybe dinner and a movie would have worked better, Koenma, sir..."  
  
"Be quiet, Ogre!"  
  
"But sir, really, can't this relationship thing wait until after the threat is dealt with?" Ogre's voice hinted violent hope.  
  
"Kurama's father will still be seeking revenge on them tomorrow..."  
  
"But sir!"  
  
"Look, Ogre...Kurama can't fight when he's depressed...and, I've noticed that these past couple months, Botan hasn't been as bubbly as normal..."  
  
"So you think setting them to a trap high in the sky will ease their pains?!"  
  
"Yes."  
  
Ogre's eyes narrowed slim in annoyance. "Koenma sir sometimes your judgement scares me..."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: so it was all Koenma's fault...tisk, tisk, little guy...  
  
Hiei: hn...I wasn't in it that much...  
  
Anemone: well, Hiei, Kurama is supposed to be the main character in this story...not you...  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Kurama: aw! what a cute picture between me and Botan!  
  
Anemone: lol more to come, Kurama...but, don't fret, readers...the plot is only just catching on, and the fights will arrive soon...*Hiei silently does "yes" arm pull behind her back, breathing out slowly "yeeeeeeeeeesssssssssss"*  
  
Hiei: finally! violence!  
  
Kurama: *Vegeta smirk as he fantasizes about Rose Whip* I am inclined to agree...  
  
Anemone: well, not much longer now, people...hopefully...review, pleasem.  
  
Kurama: yes, do.  
  
Hiei: hurry! I wanna kill something! 


	9. Organization

*Hey...if anyone is confused about the target...Kurama's dad has it out for Kurama, Hiei, and Yusuke. Kurama because he's a demon traitor and became human (family counciling, anyone?). Hiei because he symbolizes the betrayal between his dad and Kurama's. And Yusuke for the sheer glory of killing off the Spirit Detective. He concluded Kurama's weakness in Botan, Yusuke's in Keiko, and is still trying to figure out Hiei's weakness, being still oblivious about Yukina...hope that helps if ur in the dark at this point...onward!*  
  
*Anemone's room...Hiei's playing tiddly-winks, Kurama's playing solitaire, and Anemone is sketching.*  
  
Anemone: hey guys  
  
Kurama: salutations  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Anemone: chapter 9 already...man I write short chapters...  
  
Hiei: it takes you forever, though...  
  
Anemone: you be quiet and get back to your tiddly-winks...anyways, yeah, we're getting pretty deep into the plot...Kurama's dad is still stalking Hiei to try and figure out our little buddy's weakness...  
  
Hiei: LITTLE?!  
  
Kurama: calm down, Hiei...  
  
Anemone: ...and Kurama's stuck up in the air with Botan in the rain at the hands of an overly powerful toddler...*sigh* I can't imagine where this could lead...  
  
Hiei: hopefully to some violence, Mones, I'm dying to draw my Katana on something!  
  
Anemone: *glares as she holds up a torn, thrashed teddy bear seeping of it's cotton* obviously...  
  
Kurama: chapter 9, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 9: Organization  
  
"Botan," Kurama nestled his cheek to hers, straining to keep her warm in the thrashing rain. The spirit guide was shivering violently, her color slipping from her skin and her breaths stuttering. The fox coiled his grip about her tighter, gently dragging the girl into his lap to channel his body heat into her. She nestled her legs tight against her chest, curled firmly against Kurama, shivering insanely. The crimson haired fox braced her racking body with strong, warm arms, forcing out slivers of energy into heat to hug her into.  
  
"You'll be fine," he smiled softly, with flashing emerald eyes, wide with knowing. Botan did no more than nod slowly, her head quivering as her bare neck was exposed to vicious rain and thrashing winds. "Just lay against me...you'll be fine."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Yusuke leaned against the stone wall of the underside of a bridge, rain whipping downward from gray-smogged skies and into dampened cement of the streets. Kuwabara spat a "tch" sound to the left, standing impatiently by his calm rival. "Where the hell are they, Urimeshi?!"  
  
"Don't worry, Kuwabara..." Yusuke's chocolate eyes stayed loosely closed. "They'll come...they have this nasty habit of finding us when it's important, remember?"  
  
"Hmph..." Kuwabara grunted impatiently...as a dark figure stretched from the depths of the storm under the bridge.  
  
"Hmph, yourself, idiot..." he remarked seethingly. Yusuke smirked to himself, slowly pushing himself from against the cold stone.  
  
"Hey guys," the Detective nodded his chin towards the figure's claim of space, eyes still calmly pressed shut. "Took you two long enough."  
  
"Two? Detective, open your eyes..." Hiei nearly growled. Yusuke obeyed in confusion, his chocolate stares catching the sight of only a heavily soaked Hiei...no Kurama.  
  
"Hey, where's Kurama?!" Yusuke gaped in confusion, jerking his sights in all directions for a glimpse of the fox.  
  
"The hell should I know?! I haven't seen him in over five hours...unusual when there's a chance we'll all die within the week at the hands of a demon..." Hiei seethed. His hair was weighed down in heavy masses of water locked into his scalp. His skin was layered in a heavy, shiny sheen and his clotted clothes pinned against his muscles.  
  
"You haven't? But you guys usually find each other first and then us..." Kuwabara piped.  
  
"Don't you think I know that? I've been looking, but his energy is too far from the reach of my Jagon Eye...so, I finally gave up and decided to just find you."  
  
"Heh...okay...but, we can't really have this meeting without Kurama." Yusuke sighed.  
  
"I know, Detective...but I figured you could assist me in the search...Kurama can take care of himself, but if he's not already here, something is wrong."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Koenma Sir!!" Ogre wailed desperately, rushing through the scarlet and golden halls of the palace.  
  
"What, Ogre?!" the toddler shouted angrily from his library, masses of books piled up to seven times his height.  
  
"What are you doing?!" Ogre rasped a chaffed, tired voice.  
  
"Uh, duh, Ogre...researching about Kurama's father...I still can't find anything, though...nothing about Yoko's father...but tons on Yoko's rep...man was Kurama a sly thief..."  
  
"Koenma!" Ogre nearly broke down under immense stress.  
  
"What, Ogre?!"  
  
"That storm! You left it on full blast!"  
  
"So?"  
  
"SO?! Koenma, Kurama's being wounded by the rain, and Botan's getting sick! Don't you get it?! They're both in fragile, HUMAN bodies!!"  
  
"Kurama hurt?! Botan sick?! Dammit Ogre why didn't you tell me?!?" the toddler kicked off into flight in a fury, zipping straight for his office. When his eyes graced the screen, he was met with shock.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Kurama held her tightly against his body, sharp rain lashing viciously at his bare arms. Her form shook violently in his lap, as he coiled his legs Indian style to craddle her easier. The umbrella was proving useless for the fox, tears ripping through the silk petals of the lily. Lashes chaffed his arms and back raw, and his hair pinned to the sides of his face. He nestled his cheek into her scalp, trying to ease the shivering girl and warm her up.  
  
"Sh...you'll be fine..."  
  
"It's so darn cold!" her normal, bubbly voice piped loudly, but it was lacking in "umph"...she was getting sick in that frail body and the violent cold. She clutched desperately to the loose cloth of his shirt, gripping it with all her might, trying not to notice the blinding cold. She tried hard not to show weakness under the immense cold and wind...but couldn't...for some reason, she hadn't been that healthy for the past two days...the fox cuddled her hard, bracing her frail body with chaffing arms, as he calmly tried to remain balanced on the slippery oar, still frozen in midair.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
a/n: hey there! short chapter, yes...but I'm wicked tired...sorry...I'll update soon, promise...latr! 


	10. Freedom

*Anemone's room...Kurama and Hiei are playing "Kingdom Hearts" while Anemone sits at her computer, not in a good mood.*  
  
Hiei: dammit, Goofy get out of the way!!  
  
Kurama: I can't see around Captain Hook's leg...grr!  
  
Anemone: heh ^_^' those two...  
  
Hiei: ugh! Screw this game! *draws Katana*  
  
Anemone: HEY! NO YOU DON'T! *Hiei glares and replaces Katana in its sheath*  
  
Kurama: heh heh...er...anyway, ah yes...still floating in midair, and a violent, bruising rain is pounding down upon me...  
  
Hiei: that sucks...  
  
Kurama: indeed...  
  
Anemone: don't you worry, Kurama dear! I shall take mercy upon you!  
  
Kurama: really?  
  
Hiei: don't trust her! she's lying!  
  
Anemone: am not!  
  
Hiei: yes you are! You're a friggen lying baka...  
  
Anemone: BAKA?!  
  
Hiei: yeah! you're a lying, manipulative baka! *Anemone pounces Hiei, and they start wrestling all over her bedroom floor...starts ramming his head against floor, yelling a word between rams*  
  
Anemone: TAKE *bam* THAT *bam* BACK!  
  
Hiei: NEV *bam* ER!  
  
Kurama: heh...^_^'...erm...chapter 10 up yet, Mones?  
  
Anemone: *still wrestling angrily with Hiei...she's on top, hands gripping around his neck...Hiei fights back, trying to push her off with a kick* huh?! oh yeah! chapter 10, enjoy! *resumes fight, Kurama sweatdropping* YOU SUCK, HIEI!  
  
Hiei: baka *bam* baka *bam* baka!!  
  
Anemone: UGH!  
  
Kurama: *only character in view, Anemone and Hiei heard choking each other on the floor...whisper* it's, uh...that time of the month...  
  
Anemone: *from sidelines* WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?! *Kurama pales*  
  
Kurama: read! hurry!  
  
Chapter 10: Freedom  
  
Kurama strung his arms tighter about Botan's paling form. Her nose singed red, but otherwise she was a death white. Kurama cradled her tightly, trying desperately to shield her from the massive rain. The droplets poured heavily upon his back, thrashing his shirt and bruising his bare flesh to a gray shade. The fox snarled slightly as rain forced upon his tender sores repetitively, but focused more upon protecting the sick girl in his arms. With all the cold wind forcing into the fibers of her soaked clothes, of course a chill would rack her bones mercilessly...honestly, Kurama hadn't been surprised in the least...worried, yes...but he had almost expected it.  
  
"Damn," he snarled to himself, Botan breathing hard and rasped breaths. 'She's been so sick these past couple days...hmm...must have been the shock of her fall, effecting her body in a negative way from the stress of her collapse...'  
  
"Kurama," she chirped lightly, the fox jerking downward towards the rain soaked girl in his grip. Her hair laced to his shirt slightly from the immense amounts of water sponged into her scalp, as well as his.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Jump."  
  
"What?!" his eyes stung in shock.  
  
"Do it!" she snarled, drawing the fox aback.  
  
"But...why?! We're far too high..." he cast his eyes downward, calculating that the speed they would pick up from this height wouldn't allow a soft landing...they would both perish.  
  
"Koemna..." she stuttered. "He...he's telling me, from a telepathic link, by, by one of his Ogres that...that he caused all this, the storm...the oar..."  
  
"What?!" the fox gaped.  
  
"he said he's been trying to fix it...but, the controls for storms are broken...stepped on by an Ogre...and, he forgot the spell to control the oar...he...he said, that...that unless you want to be tender, tenderized...from the forceful rain...that...that we'd best...best jump..."  
  
"But, either way we'll die!"  
  
"Do it!" she growled threateningly, gripping his shirt until her knuckles clenched white. Her raspberry eyes narrowed sharply in a stern glare at the fox, who could do no more than shift in a weighed sigh, and slip gently from the wet oar.  
  
"This is crazy!" he snarled as speed began to lash viciously through his hair. Botan gripped his shirt for dear life, slight whimpers escaping her form.  
  
"Kitsune!" a familiar voice sparked through his head...a telepathic link.  
  
'Hiei?! the fox thought back.  
  
"you must drop the girl...now!"  
  
'What?!' Kurama instinctively gripped her harder as the bruising rain, lashing wind, and mighty speed trapped them mercilessly.  
  
"There isn't any time...trust me, Red!"  
  
'But...!'  
  
"Do it, or you'll die, dammit!"  
  
In the torrent of thoughts stinging the fox's head, his grip loosened from the bluette...and a black smear stained the gray-black skies, dragging Botan from her plummet to the ground for a rooftop nearby. Hiei's form jerked back to human speed, handed the sick girl off to another pair of arms.  
  
'I see!' Kurama smiled at Hiei in relief...'now I can focus on my landing...'  
  
The ground was nearing him at an alarming rate...pure cement. The fox was far too weighed with water, bruises and speed to force a flip, and was falling shoulder first for the ground below...faster faster faster until..."Spirit Sword!!"  
  
Kurama pricked at the voice, Kuwabara's form forcing straight through the clouds and smog of the storm and straight for the fox. Kuwabara had dug his sword against the cement of the ground, and was pushing himself upward into the depths of the storm to help the weighed Kurama. With a strong arm about the fox's stomach, the simple-minded Kuwabara had dragged Kurama gently to the ground.  
  
"Thank you, Kuwabara..." the fox breathed heavily the instant his feet touched down to the ground and Kuwabara's arm coiled away. "Botan..." he whispered softly, scanning the air to find Hiei and the bluette.  
  
Hiei's form stretched through the smog of the bruising rain, his hair matted down heavily by massive rains. "Well, Kitsune...it seems you're alright...quite a heavy storm...it even caused me sores."  
  
"Indeed," the fox nodded towards his short friend, as rain slivered gently between his wet, scarlet locks. His emerald eyes flashed calmly as he scanned around for Botan, to make sure she was alright.  
  
Another figure, weighed and tired looking, trudged slowly towards the group, holding Botan loosely in his arms. Yusuke looked down at the bluette in his grasp, and cast his chocolate eyes for the others. "She's pretty sick...her human body's pretty weak."  
  
"Obviously," Hiei snarled softly.  
  
"Indeed, it seems she was already sick from stress of her fall...she still hadn't recovered completely from the whole fire-escape fiasco...but these rains and winds only made her condition worse," Kurama slowly approached the Detective and Guide, slipping his arms under her tired, quivering form and gently lifting her from Yusuke's hold. With free hands, the Detective slicked his soaked mane back in it's greased style, watching Kurama intently.  
  
'He looks so concerned for her,' Yusuke thought as he noticed Kurama's soft, velvet eyes cast gently for Botan, falling asleep in his arms. 'I wonder...'  
  
"Allow me to take her to my home," Kurama piped slowly for the others to hear. "Until she recuperates..." without waiting for an answer, the fox turned his thrashed back to the others, slowly carrying a sleeping, not fainted, but sleeping girl home with him.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Suichi?" Kurama's mother knocked upon his door faintly.  
  
"Yes mother," Kurama responded respectfully, a soft grin brushing his lips as his mother's form entered his domain slowly.  
  
"How is she, honey? the Mrs. Minamino tipped her head thoughtfully at her son. Kurama slowly cupped his hand over Botan's pale palm, his eyes staining soft.  
  
"She was awake a bit ago, not really talking or anything, but conscious...she's sleeping now." Kurama responded softly. Botan had stayed in Kurama's bed for several hours now, the storm having cleared and rolled onward, no thanks to Koenma. Mrs. Minamino had wrapped the raw wounds streaking his back in clean, white gauze, faint tints of red staining the fibers of the wraps. Now Kurama allowed his human wounds to heal as he watched over the sleeping Botan.  
  
"Well, sweetheart," Mrs. Minamino stroked Kurama's bushy mane slightly. "She seemed fine when you brought her here...just a tad bruised and a slight chill...nothing to sacrifice your needed sleep over...she'll be fine."  
  
"I know, mother..." Kurama shifted in a weighed sigh. "But, I haven't school tomorrow...may I please stay awake a bit longer and be sure she's truly alright?"  
  
Mrs. Minamino smiled softly at her son's gentle eyes. "Very well, Suichi...but promise me when she is all better and is in no use of our help any longer, you'll make up your sleep?"  
  
"Yes mother."  
  
"Goodnight Suichi."  
  
"Goodnight mother."  
  
Mrs. Minamino slowly slipped from her son's bedroom, casting soft, happy eyes at her son. 'I think...he's in love,' she thought softly to herself, a light smile gracing her face. 'My little boy...grown, and in love.'  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
a/n: hey there! what did you think? eh? eh?  
  
Hiei: I think they tolerated it...  
  
Anemone: you shut up...*Hiei glares*  
  
Kurama: oh! how sweet! you put my mother in, thank you, Mones.  
  
Anemone: yeah, I know...I rock...  
  
Hiei: whatever...  
  
Anemone: I told you to shut up!  
  
Kurama: ^_^' heh...poor, poor Botan...I feel so guilty...  
  
Hiei: *rolls eyes* oh God...your guilt issues again...  
  
Kurama: but I-  
  
Hiei: no! calm down, Kitsune...this is just a story...  
  
Kurama: yes, but I am dating Botan in reality...she's the best girlfriend ever...I'm so in love with her *dreamy look, snaps back* and, this writing...it makes me feel as if this happened...*looks to a distance, traumatized*  
  
Hiei: now look what you did, ningen! You've confused the Kitsune!  
  
Anemone: heh...er...um...okay then...*Kurama still looks traumatized* right...anyway, I'll make her all better, Kurama.  
  
Kurama: *beams* really?  
  
Anemone: yuppers.  
  
Kurama: happy day! Oh, wait a second...*gasp* I was supposed to meet Botan at the Theatre...see ya, Mones! Bye, Hiei. *rushes away...long, awkward silence between Hiei and Mones*  
  
Anemone: so...*long pause*  
  
Hiei: so...*longer pause*  
  
Anemone: er...right, anyways...please review, readers! Oh, and sorry about the late update...I've had a crazy week with a huge Science Fair at school *blech...I hate Sci Fairs...* so, sorry if you were dying of anticipation, but I'll try to update more frequently...later! 


	11. A Growing Threat

*Anemone's room...Kurama is playing with a venus fly trap, Hiei's got the music on full blast--"Rectifier" by Ra (a very good rock band)--and Anemone's taking a nap.*  
  
Hiei: *singing along* why, don't you, care? don't, don't you, dare! Rectifier...how's the world supposed to be? Rectifier...take my hand and set me free...  
  
Kurama: *gently shakes Anemone awake* Mones? the readers are here.  
  
Anemone: *gurglegurgle* huh? what?  
  
Hiei: *notices readers, jerks away in surprise* ah! oh, uh...*shifty eyes* I wasn't singing...  
  
Kurama: *snicker* anyways...the story must continue, Mones, *gently takes her arm--she's still half-asleep--and escorts her to the computer*  
  
Anemone: okay, okay *yawn* anywho...so, Mrs. Minamino thinks he's in love...  
  
Hiei: she aint the only one with suspicion at this point in the story...  
  
Anemone: obviously...anywho, here you go, my loyal fans...chappie 11.  
  
Kurama: enjoy.  
  
Chapter 11: A Growing Threat  
  
Hiei cast his crimson eyes dead straight into the depths of the night sky. He lay flat against a radnom rooftop, lost in thought and gently brushing his cheek...where his skin had been slit just slightly by his enemy. Hiei was weighed down by fatigue and heavy contemplations, a sigh just barely shifting his chest.  
  
"This isn't good, Kitsune," Hiei's voice randomly punctured into the night air. Kurama's figure slowly stepped outward toward's the fire demon, the fox in perfect balance upon the slanted rooftop of shingled roof.  
  
"What do you mean? The threat of my demon father, or Botan's condition?" the fox responded sarcastically. "Because Botan is just as bubbly and positive as ever...she's perfectly fine, healed, and on her way back to work."  
  
"You know well what I mean, Red!" the fire demon snarled.  
  
Kurama shook his head slowly, a soft smirk tinting his lips. "I do, Hiei...and, I must say...he can't be that bad."  
  
"Hn..." Hiei grunted, jerking his face towards Kurama. "See this scar, Kitsune?! He was responsible...and I didn't even have the speed to stop him from grazing my cheek...imagine if he wasn't playing!"  
  
Kurama's face dimmed just slightly...he had been fully aware of his Yoko self's father's speed...it was insane.  
  
"Well, Hiei...with my assistance, we can fend him off."  
  
"Don't you get it?!" Hiei snarled. "He was so fast that I couldn't sense him until he purposely slowed down to taunt me...he's more than a threat, Kitsune...he's our executioner." the demon glared soft, half-angry eyes at his friend.  
  
"Hiei...we've Yusuke on our side...and trust me...since Keiko's saftey was threatened, he's willingly decided to help us out."  
  
"Hn...one man, even the Spirit Detective, will not do much difference with our fate."  
  
"Why do you not trust our chances?"  
  
"Because," a voice, foreign to Kurama's human ears, but vaguely familiar to his Yoko memories, snarled. Kurama pricked slightly, his emerald eyes sparking wide, and Hiei's eyes widening in pure shock and fear. "I've speed that neither of you suspected, even dreamed...not even Hiei's Jagon sensed my coming."  
  
Hiei breathed hard in fear, Kurama, somewhat calmer, doing likewise. "Oh, and Hiei," the voice sneered at the fire demon, who pricked slightly.  
  
"I've found your weakness," the enemy taunted, hidden in the shadows of night and veiled from their sights. Hiei grunted softly in confusion and defense, hoping to God...  
  
"In a little green-haired aperition by name of...Yukina."  
  
Hiei growled viciously, anger staining his features and utter fear draining into his crimson eyes. Kurama snarled hard, jerking for the hidden figure, Hiei doing likewise in a raw rage.  
  
"You think out loud too much...it was so easy to find out you have a weakness in her...though I've yet to learn how..." Kurama's father chuckled deviously from the veil of shadows.  
  
"Don't you DARE lay a finger on her!" Hiei wailed, leaping for the shadows and drawing his Katana. The glare of his blade sliced the air, and nothing more...the villain had melted into nothingness, before his Jagon Eye could sense.  
  
Hiei's blade dug deep into the shingles of the rooftop, the demon landing lightly, slumping against his blade, whimpering in fear...for the first time in the fire demon's life, tears threatened to streak his face. "No...no...not Yukina...he'll kill her! He can't do this! She can't defend herself...I can't save her, he's too damn fast...he can't do this...he, he can't!" the demon's voice softened as his whimpers shook him harder. "he can't..."  
  
Kurama was lost of words...his emerald eyes stung through the darkness of night and stared in shock at his friend, who was actually...crying. The fox was engulfed in utter fear...Hiei never showed as much emotion as a real smile...Kurama had always thought Hell had to freeze over three times before one tear dripped from Hiei's eyes...and that being a tear from a yawn, let alone utter sadness and fury. Kurama now knew their chances weren't even a third of what he had dared hope.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Yusuke!" Kurama called, racing through the streets for the Detective's home. Hiei streaked the air, heading in the same direction as the fox. Yusuke's head shot outward from a window high up in the apartment building, the teenager jerking from side to side looking for the source.  
  
"Kurama?" the teenager called back.  
  
"You have to get down here, now!" the fox wailed, halting in the street and staring up through the night air and dead-straight at Yusuke. Without a second thought, the Detective drew his head from the window and shot out his front door.  
  
The punk rushed for the end of the hallway, sided one way by doors of separate apartments and sided the other way by a wall spanning halfway upward and leaving an exposure to the city outside. Reaching the end of the corridor, Yusuke jumped the side, clasping loosely to the building's gutter and sliding towards the ground, fifteen stories downward. With one floor left, the punk kicked off against the wall and landed softly to the ground, pushing himself from his leaning pose against the cement to a calm stand.  
  
"Hey Kurama," the teenager stood still, his face painted in concern as the fox jogged towards him. Hiei's form jerked to human speed beside the Detective, standing calmly and waiting for the fox to catch up.  
  
"What's wrong?" Yusuke eyed them both when Kurama had approached the two.  
  
"Trouble," Hiei grunted, concern and worry staining his scarlet eyes.  
  
"Big trouble," Kurama breathed slowly, his eyes narrow in a serious tone.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"He's threatening Yukina?!" Kuwabara wailed in a fury as the group explained the situation to him. "HOW DARE HE!"  
  
Hiei glared at the love-struck Kuwabara, his eyes sharpening to daggers. Kurama lay a hand against Hiei's shoulder, firm, calm stares meeting Hiei's angry eyes. The fire demon loosened up slightly under the fox's reassuring, loose glare, but he was still in negative thoughts towards Kuwabara.  
  
"We've gotta stop him!" the angry red-head punk shouted, swearing to defend his beloved Yukina.  
  
"No duh, idiot," Hiei snarled.  
  
"But how are we supposed to stop someone who could scar Hiei's face before Hiei even knew he was there?!" Yusuke piped.  
  
"We've no idea...but we must try, and soon," Kurama breathed slowly.  
  
"Oh boys," a voice pricked their senses, all four jerking defensively at the sound. "I know who your weaknesses are," the voice taunted. "and I know where they are."  
  
Hiei's eyes bulged wide, a low snarl wincing his face. Kurama's breath sharpened in a quick gasp, emerald eyes quivering wide. Kuwabara jerked his angry eyes in all directions to find the source of the cold, evil voice. Yusuke growled in raw anger. The figure disappeared before any of the four could force an attack upon him.  
  
"Do any of you know where the girls are?" Hiei asked in a low, angry growl, his eyes casting the opposite direction of his comrades.  
  
"I do," Yusuke glared straight ahead, kicking off into a bolt run for the direction of Botan's apartment.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Botan skipped slightly down the sidewalk, Yukina and Keiko trailing behind. The girls were heading for Botan's to watch a movie...something nice, to lift their spirits.  
  
"So," Botan giggled lightly, pausing from her skip to cast her candy eyes for her friends. "What movie shall we watch?"  
  
"Your choice," Yukina offered politely, a little, calm smile curling her lips.  
  
"I don't know," Keiko answered thoughtfully.  
  
"Hmm..." Botan pressed her finger to her chin in contemplation. "Well, I suppose a good movie is Legally Blonde..."  
  
"I don't mind," Yukina answered respectfully.  
  
"Ick, no...sorry, but it's too...nevermind I just don't want to watch it..." Keiko tucked her hair behind her ear.  
  
"Any other suggestions, then?" Botan asked lightly. Both girls stared blankly in thought, Botan's candy eyes arching slightly. "Oh come on! It's the first time in days I've felt myself, and I want to do something fun!"  
  
"Well..." Yukina bobbed her scarlet eyes to the side. "How about A Walk to Remember?"  
  
Botan smile dimmed, Keiko doing likewise. "That's a tad sad, isn't it Yukina sweety?" Botan tipped her head to the side. Yukina nodded in quiet agreement.  
  
"Hmm...A Brilliant Mind?" Keiko piped.  
  
"I didn't really get it..." Botan cast her eyes upward, lost in memories of the film. Yukina shrugged.  
  
"Oh! I know..." Botan giggled. "The Sound of Music!"  
  
Keiko and Yukina both nodded positively. "Bingo! A mutual agreement!" Botan tipped her head to the side in a perky manner.  
  
Suddenly, Keiko pricked. "Huh?" she jerked behind her, a shadowed figure approaching the girls.  
  
"Who are you?" Botan bounced in front of her friends in defense. The figure continued his slow, stride for the girls.  
  
"Who are you?!"  
  
Again, silence graced his lips as he continued his trudge. Botan's eyes bubbled wide as his eyes jerked from the shadows and stared threateningly at the girls. They were golden, cold, heartless eyes, that seemed VERY interested in them.  
  
"Get away from them!" Yusuke wailed as he sprinted for the girls, coming up the road from the opposite way as the stranger. Kurama, Kuwabara, and Hiei followed, all four with anger-glazed faces.  
  
"Hmpf," the stranger grunted, clasping the long cape draped over his shoulders tightly between his fingers and swishing it from the shadows and coiling it tightly around the three girls in a split-second's time. All three girls wailed as they were dragged against his chest into the shadows without time to draw a breath.  
  
"No!" Yusuke wailed as he leapt head first for them. Keiko's hand flung loose from the cape, and their fingers just brushed each other before she was dragged into the sky, wailing out for him.  
  
Yusuke collapsed into the ground on his hip, a wince snarling his face but jerking upwards to where the four had disappeared to. "No! Keiko!!"  
  
"Yukina!!" Kuwabara cried in desperation.  
  
"Kazuma!" Yukina wailed in return, tears brimming her eyelashes.  
  
"No..." Hiei whispered in disbelief, his eyes frozen wide in fear, his body quivering. "Not this...no..."  
  
'Botan...' Kurama thought in fear and shock. 'No...no, come back...'  
  
'Kurama,' Botan thought sadly and in fear to herself as her candy eyes bobbed downward at the retreating sight of the fox. Tears stung her eyes as she and her two best friends were dragged away into the night sky by this evil demon. "Kurama!!"  
  
The fox's heart was weighed as he saw her dragged away, and all he could do was extend his arm slightly for her, pure shock, confusion, and fear controlling him. Yusuke lay on his side, whimpering as he tucked his head against his collarbone, whimpering for Keiko, punching his fist against the conrete sidewalk, a dent forming on impact with his knuckles. Kuwabara's body racked in utter rage as he slammed his fist into the wooden fence towards his left. A huge hole splintered on impact, the teenager slumping against the fence, breaking down. Hiei stared blankly ahead of him, eyes frozen wide and breaths hard. Kurama collapsed to his knees in silence, gripping his arms and hugging himself as he quivered. He stared blankly into the street before him.  
  
"I don't care if that beast is my father..." Kurama hissed in an uncharacteristic manner. Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara all jerked to face their friend. Kurama's eyes, hidden by locks of crimson hair, revealed themselves as a brush of wind laced his hair to the side. His eyes were flashing in brilliant emerald, anger singeing their shade even darker than their usually stark green. "He will pay," the fox snarled, all three of his companions pricking in shock at his behavior. Kurama kicked himself off his knees and stared dangerous, angry eyes dead ahead. "I will find him...and I will slay him."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: hey! I'm lovin' this...  
  
Hiei: THAT ASSHOLE! HOW DARE HE TAKE YUKINA!  
  
Kurama: I hope I do kill him...*glaring to the side, mumbling*  
  
Anemone: rightio then...please review, readers! latr 


	12. A Ray of Hope

hey...before I begin, I'd like to thank my reviewers...it's nice to know you like my work enough to comment on it so positively...thanks.  
  
Chapter 12: A Ray of Hope  
  
Kurama's sharp, furious eyes cast themselves straight ahead, into the dark of night. The fox shifted in a quivering, weighed sigh, and he set off into a slow stride.  
  
"Kistune?" Hiei eyed the fox curiously.  
  
"I'm going to seek Hinegeshi." Kurama's tone half-hissed. All three of his companions stole a sharp breath, Hiei less than the two humans...the fire demon cast his eyes downward, a slight red staining the slope of his nose and an awkward/fake-angry expression staining his face.  
  
"But," Kuwabara stuttered. "We haven't even spoken to her since the whole thing with Yakumo!"  
  
"I know," Kurama's usually calm tone breathed softly.  
  
"What's the point in going to her temple?!" Yusuke clenched his fists angrily at the retreating fox. "We'd be better off trying to find this guy on our own!"  
  
"Koenma knows nothing of my Yoko father," Kurama cast his head downwards. "Maybe Hinegeshi does."  
  
"What?!" Kuwabara wailed. "how can she know something that Koenma doesn't?!"  
  
"She may...remember, she is an intelligent ferry girl," the fox breathed calmly.  
  
"That doesn't make sense, Kurama..." Yusuke kicked himself up from his hip on the ground. "If Koenma doesn't know anything, she wouldn't...we'd be better off following where he went!"  
  
"Be quiet!" Hiei growled, the two boys jerking in surprise. "If Red has a reason to sacrifice precious time to see this other ferry girl, then I will abide by his judgement, trusting he knows what he's doing...he usually does." with that last seething remark, and after a brief pause looming between the three, the fire demon grunted his trademark 'hn' and slowly set off after the fox, Yusuke and Kuwabara doing likewise.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Hinegeshi?" Kurama knocked softly against the entrance of the small temple. His companions stood leisurely behind, awaiting for the ferry girl...it had been about a year since they've seen her...they each, to some extent, wanted to see how much the girl had changed.  
  
"Hello?" a spirited voice piped from behind the door. As the wood panel slid towards one end, all four boys gaped.  
  
There stood Hinegeshi...but man had she changed...her scarlet locks tumbled straight down her back, tucked in a loose braid at the end. She had...grown...so to speak...Hiei noticed in particular...that is, until the fire demon jerked to reality and his thoughts immediately traced the issue at hand, a faint crimson tinting his cheeks. She wasn't any taller than a year prior...but man did she look older...in a good way, of course.  
  
"Hinegeshi," Kurama smiled softly.  
  
"Oh! Kurama!" she squealed happily, coiling her arms about the fox's neck in a tight hug. From the corner of her crystal-blue eyes, she caught a glimpse of Kurama's companions.  
  
"Yusuke! Kuwabara!" she bounced towards the two, dragging them both into a one-armed hug on either side. With a flick of her head, she noticed the dragon demon, who seemed in awkward disposition.  
  
"Hiei!" she giggled, wrapping her arms tightly about his neck and shoulders. Hiei's eyes bugged wide, his cheeks singeing a mad crimson, his trademark grunt sounding from the depths of his throat shakily. Kurama smirked faintly...'ah yes,' the fox thought slyly to himself. 'I forgot...Hiei once told me that he was somewhat smitten by her...not that he would ever admit it to her or anyone else, of course...' the fox's smile dimmed slightly. 'suppose he never told her his feelings because of my father? Most likely...just as he never told Yukina he was her brother...to keep them safe. From my demon father.'  
  
Hiei cleared his throat loudly, his Adam's apple quivering slightly. Yusuke and Kuwabara eyed the demon curiously, whereas Kurama yet again smirked to himself and kept the secret under wraps. Hinegeshi slowly slipped from her hug abut the fire demon's neck, flashing him a sweet grin and skipping back towards the temple door, Hiei blushing awkwardly.  
  
"What brings you all here?" Hinegeshi grinned happily at the fox.  
  
"I'm afraid, that it's an emergency, Hinegeshi," Kurama's eyes sharpened from their happy, velvety emerald to serious, stark green.  
  
"What's going on?" the ferry girl tipped her head slightly, a stern expression plastered about her pretty face...Hiei nearly died at the sight of her face.  
  
"May we come inside?" the fox inquired politely, a hopeful, calm behavior about his character.  
  
"Certainly," Hinegeshi smiled softly, a hint of stern realization tinting her eyes.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"So wait wait WAIT," Hinegeshi laced her fingers into her hair in thought, her eyes shut tight and a sigh shifting her torso slightly. The group was nestled comfortably in a circle in her temple dojo, the boys having just explained the situation to her. "Lemme get this straight..." she pointed directly to the fox. "This guy is your biological demon father...and he's trying to kill you because you became human and stayed human..."  
  
Kurama responded with a quick nod. Her hand slit the air as her point aimed for Hiei. "...and he hates you because YOUR father betrayed him by mating with the Ice Demoness he loved and having you as a result..."  
  
Hiei grunted softly, a faint nod shifting his head. Hinegeshi's pointing finger dropped neatly to her lap as she eyed the two. "...and with all the history you both have with this guy you don't know his NAME?!" Yusuke snickered, Kuwabara remained in silent contemplation.  
  
"Hey!" Hiei grunted. "The last time I saw the guy before I had to leave my clan, I was only three in human years...and considering how old I am NOW in human years, it was a LONG time ago...so, naturally I forgot his name."  
  
"And when I became human, most of my Yoko memories were lost to me," Kurama added calmly.  
  
"Okay, then I suppose that makes sense..." Hinegeshi craddled her chin in thought. "But...Hiei, if you never told Yukina you were her brother..." as the ferry girl's words leaked from her lips, Kuwabara pricked tensely, having just found out the true relationship between his Yukina and the cocky fire demon Hiei. Hinegeshi continued. "...because you knew this guy would take her away if anyone but yourself knew, then, wouldn't you have remembered his name? Making it a constant way of life to keep your feelings and weaknesses to yourself because of him?"  
  
"You see, because it was a way of life, ningen," Hiei sighed deeply. "I got so used to it that for a while I forgot why I did it. But then, of course, when he attacked Botan and Keiko just several nights ago on the fire escape, I got a glimpse of him...and the memory of his voice and personality came back to me...but not his name."  
  
"I see," Hinegeshi gently tucked her hand down the collar of her shirt. Kurama and Hiei both twinged in blushes, casting their eyes away. Yusuke awaited what he figured to be her demon handbook to be drawn from her pocket. Kuwabara was lost in himself, locking his thoughts upon his beloved Yukina and ignoring the entire conversation. 'I can't believe it...' Kuwabara thought to himself. 'Hiei is Yukina's...brother?!'  
  
"Ah..." she cooed softly to herself as she drew her little handbook from the pocket stitched on the underside of her temple garments. It pages yellowed and cracked on the edge, with bright paintings spanning every other page and delicate legends in black calligraphy scribbled neatly entirely throughout the confines of the little book. She hummed lightly to herself as each page flipped before her eyes, until she caught the sight of the one fable she sought.  
  
"Here we go!" she giggled. "According to this section all about the demon legend, Yoko of Thieves," she eyed Kurama slyly. "it gives only a slight reference to your original demon parents."  
  
"Indeed?" the fox pricked slightly.  
  
"Um-hm," she nodded with her signature response. "It says here that your mother was the Fox Demonness Jiaanti..."  
  
Kurama's eyes softened. 'my demon mother,' he thought. 'she was second choice to him...I feel so much pity for her, as I would my human mother...because this beast couldn't have the Ice Demonness he eyed, he only had Jiaanti as second choice...my poor demon mother.'  
  
"...and your father," Hinegeshi continued, her crystal eyes squinted for a split second, and flashed wide. "he was a Wolf Demon...and it doesn't say his name."  
  
"Figures," Yusuke drew back in annoyance, threading his arms tightly about his chest. "Not only are we oblivious to the guy's name, so's this book..."  
  
"Of course!" Hiei whispered to himself faintly, but Yusuke's ears caught this.  
  
"What do you mean?" the Detective inquired suspiciously.  
  
"I mean, that's why Kitsune's father has such speed...he was a Wolf Demon...they're the only demon breed that can outrun me..."  
  
"What?!" Kuwabara suddenly sparked from his inner conflict. "He can outrun YOU?! We are so screwed..." he finished in a whimper, thinking solely upon his poor Yukina.  
  
"Perhaps not..." Kurama fixed his emerald eyes straight ahead in deep thought. "If he is indeed my father...that would only make me half-fox, correct?"  
  
"Yeah, so?" Kuwabara murmured in depression.  
  
"That would also make me half-wolf, Kuwabara."  
  
Kuwabara pricked wide eyes, as did Yusuke. Hinegeshi cooed a soft sigh and tucked her booklet neatly into it's pocket again, Hiei smirking deviously at his fox friend.  
  
"Indeed, demi-Kistune..." the fire demon smirked. "You are demi- wolf...and with the cunning of your mother, you may just be able to stand up to your father."  
  
"Indeed," Kurama's sharp emerald eyes softened closed as he kicked himself up into a stand. "Hinegeshi," the fox breathed calmly over his shoulder, the ferry girl calmly jerking to attention. "Does it say anything in there of his lair at the time of my thieving days?"  
  
"What?!" Yusuke seethed. "Kurama, that was recorded, like, two- hundred years ago! Even if it DID say what his lair was at the time, what makes you think it'll still be his lair today?!"  
  
"Obviously, Detective, you misunderstand," Hiei smirked.  
  
"Misunderstand what?" Yusuke drew back in curiosity.  
  
"A wolf demon's lair stays the same throughout his entire lifetime, even if it's threatened with destruction. Wolf demons stay supremely loyal to their homes...if the lair is listed there, most likely it's the same as it was even two-hundred years ago...Kurama knew this, and he wishes to know so he'll at least have a destination to try."  
  
"Hmm..." Hinegeshi dragged the booklet from the inner pocket of her kimono, flipping through it's vivid pages and landing upon the section based upon Yoko of Thieves. Scrolling her finger and in turn her eyes down the lines of calligraphy, she caught a glimpse of an intriguing line. "Ah!" she giggled. "Here we go...this may help, Kurama...."  
  
"I'm listening," the fox turned towards her slowly, casting soft eyes and a faint smile towards the ferry girl.  
  
"Here we go," she smiled. "Quote: 'When Yoko Kurama was born the only pup to the widely-known Fox Demonness Jiaanti and the mystery Wolf Demon father, they were recorded to have resided in the Kyorgin Caves of Mount Shiverku.'"  
  
"Mount Shiverku..." Kurama whispered faintly to himself, a vague Yoko memory tingling his senses. "I...I think, I think I remember..."  
  
"Then let's go!" Yusuke kicked up, a happy glare about his face. "If a Wolf Demon lives in one place his entire life, then he must still live there...and maybe the girls are there!"  
  
"Yukina!" Kuwabara wailed dramatically as he rushed swiftly from the dojo for the cool night air of summer midnight outside.  
  
"Wait up, Kuwabara!" Yusuke hollored after his friend as he sped from the scene.  
  
"Yukina..." Hiei whispered faintly to himself, a heavy weight about his heart. 'I will save you, sister.'  
  
Kurama cast a kind smile towards the red-headed ferry girl. "Thank you, Hinegeshi," he coiled an arm about her shoulders and hugged her loosely.  
  
"Well, what are you waiting for?!" the girl piped cherrily at the fox. "go save the girls!"  
  
"Right," he smiled. "Thanks again, Hinegeshi." the fox jogged from the dark dojo, sprinting through the temple yard and following after the Detective and the love-struck Kuwabara.  
  
Hinegeshi smiled faintly after Kurama's fading form, slowly turning around. She knocked softly against Hiei, who had been making his way towards the door after the others but was now caught in an overwhelmingly awkward situation.  
  
"Oh, Hiei," she smiled, the demon coughing slightly. He had been smitten by her the instant he had pinned her to the ground to save her from a huge blast fired at him that year ago, during the Yakumo struggle...and yet he hadn't told her his feelings...because of the Wolf stalking them.  
  
"Uh...thank you, Hinegeshi," his cheeks dusted red as he thanked the girl for her assistance. The ferry girl tipped her head perkilly towards the side, a soft smile staining her lips.  
  
"No problem, Hiei."  
  
In a lacing silence, the two having been standing just inches apart, the demon's heart twinged hard...how he wanted to tell Hinegeshi how he felt...but, after a life-time of hiding his feelings and supressing his emotions, how the hell was he supposed to tell her?!  
  
"Uh...Hinegeshi..." his face stung and burned in a faint crimson, a dizziness threatening to swell over him.  
  
"Yes, Hiei?"  
  
More silence...the demon felt as if his head would split from the agony of this...he couldn't stand it...just looking at her lovely little face, directly parallel to his in height, he felt as if his chest would explode and his face would singe itself right off. Finally, in one impulsive move, the demon dug his lips into hers, the girl's face flashing expressions of shock, confusion, and melting straight into calm serenity in seconds. Hiei quickly forced away, his form melting into nothingness against the air and leaving behind a smitten, confused, but happy Hinegeshi to sort out the second's passing occurrance.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: hey there...sorry about the late update, but the week has been and will be chaotic, and I might not be able to update as often as you're all used to...but hey, on a lighter note, now Hiei ain't a bachelor...  
  
Hiei: *blushing* Hinegeshi?! You, you set me up with, Hinegeshi?!  
  
Kurama: I think it's sweet!  
  
Anemone: yeah...and, since I like Kurama more than you, I'm gonna listen to him...besides, I think you like her in reality...*Hiei blushes angrily and shuts up* anywho, please review...latr.  
  
Hiei: *mumbling...lying* I don't like her...  
  
Kurama: but, if you don't like her...then why on the trip we took to Vegas with Anemone, Mirai Trunks, Kagome, Inuyasha, Sango, Miroku and Botan *dreamy look as he says "Botan", jerks back to reality*, you got all drunk you told me you were falling in love with her and you got so depressed you nearly killed the bartender until Inuyasha knocked you out with the hilt of the Tetsuiga?  
  
Hiei: *really red, pissed off, remembering that incident well* KURAMA!! I told you NEVER to speak of my drunken antics EVER again!!  
  
Kurama: oops...  
  
Anemone: THAT'S what happened?! You told me a bunch of demons broke into the casino and you guys all had to fight them off!!  
  
Kurama: *shifty eyes* err...  
  
Anemone: and you got Miroku and Mirai Trunks in on it too, didn't you?!  
  
Kurama: uhh...  
  
Hiei: dammit! Now the ningen knows! Way to go, Kitsune...  
  
Kurama: *shifty eyes* heh...er...please review, patient readers...er...I must go...uh...meet Botan...somewhere...*brief pause, he rushes away*  
  
Hiei: *really mad, embarrassed, and still blushing* hn...  
  
Anemone: just, review...please...thanks. 


	13. The First Strike

*Anemone's room...All three sit by the computer, Anemone playing a shooting game, the boys rooting her on.  
  
Hiei: GO GO GO!!  
  
Kurama: c'mon Anemone! You can-*notices readers* oh, hello there...  
  
Anemone: talking to yourself, Fox?  
  
Hiei: lol...*smirks slightly at the readers, resuming his watch on the game...Anemone closes it down, he gapes in complaint*  
  
Anemone: hey guys! I apologize for the story being so long running...a lot has to happen before violence...but, the fighting starts in this chapter, my loyal fans! yes, violence! not much, mind you, cuz a lot has to happen first, but I swear! Something bloody will occur by the end, and then, next chapter, PURE VIOLENCE!  
  
Hiei: YES!!  
  
Kurama: yay!  
  
Anemone: and thanks again, reviewers...I got confidence from you all, and one cool idea from this one reviewer, thanks! I think I might just have our favorite little fox change into Yoko Kurama...that was a cool idea...now I just gotta figure out how to do it...  
  
Hiei: cut the chit-chat, bring on the blood!  
  
Kurama: Chapter 13, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 13: The First Strike  
  
"Hm..." Koenma studied his map intently.  
  
"Hurry up, will ya toddler?!" Yusuke wailed at the young-looking lord. Koenma eyed him threateningly.  
  
"What have I told you about the toddler thing?"  
  
"Please, sir," Kurama stepped up calmly, pushing Yusuke aside. "We need to find Mount Shiverku as soon as possible!"  
  
"Okay, okay, Kurama..." the prince rolled his eyes at the impatient fox. The four warriors, Kurama, Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara had immediately after their talk with Hinegeshi traveled for the Spirit World to seek Koenma, and in turn to find the Kyorgin Caves of Mount Shiverku.  
  
"Oh!" Koenma squealed happily. "There they are...they're located two- hundred-and-seventy-three miles south-east from here."  
  
"WHAT?!" Kuwabara failed frantically, desperation leaking into his eyes. "That's too far! Yukina..."  
  
Yusuke bowed his head slightly in anger. "Keiko..." he stuttered, fists clenched so tight his knuckles whitened and crimson leaked into the life-line cracks of his hands.  
  
Hiei shifted in a soft sigh, his eyes quivering in fear. "Yukina..."  
  
Kurama, cheeks stinging red, shook himself from his consuming thoughts about...Botan. The fox-wolf snarled viciously and walked slowly towards a wide-spanning white marble door behind Koenma's desk...the door that lead into the depths of Spirit World.  
  
"Kitsune?" Hiei eyed him curiously.  
  
"Hiei..." Kurama breathed softly. "when was the last time your Katana stained something?"  
  
Hiei pricked in shock, an excited smirk staining his face. "Quite a while!" he chirped.  
  
"We'd best get going then, ne?" Kurama tilted his head slyly towards his shoulder, a michievous smirk tainting his usually humane features.  
  
"Let's," the fire smirked to rival Kurama's, his motivation the safety of his sister...and the thrill of killing something.  
  
Kurama pulsed in a soft chuckle, gripping tight upon the brass handles of the massive marble door gating him from the Spirit World.  
  
"Kurama, wait," Koenma piped in a stern, domineering tone. The fox pricked slightly, but slowly turned his head towards the little toddler.  
  
"yes, Koenma sir?"  
  
"I've something you may need."  
  
"Truly?" the fox half-asked, half-stated, drawing his loose grip from the brass handle.  
  
"Yes, follow me, Kurama."  
  
Kurama obeyed as the prince leapt from his velvet throne to the marble floor, stepping lightly towards a room for the far left. The fox's emerald eyes flashed in confusion and wonder as his form followed the toddler's through a small, doorless frame into another room, a room of massive size and magnificence.  
  
Gold and silver stained the walls in swirling mixes, and green marble, a shade to rival Kurama's eyes, layered the floor. The ceiling spanned high above the fox's sights, and seemed to swallow storms in it's shadowed darkness.  
  
Set in the dead center of the room, upon a platinum podium, lay a stone. It shone a brilliant ruby, a shade that violently clashed with the fox's eyes. A silver chain coiled about the smooth-surface ruby, glints of vicious red caught in the facets of the diamond-cut chain. The chain looped outward a decent amount, enough to slip easily over one's head to sting about the neck. Kurama stared transfixed upon the gem, it was truly a marvel to spy upon.  
  
"This," Koenma slowly coiled his swollen, child-like fingers about the delicate chain, letting the magnificent jewel dangle loosely in the air. "this can bring out anyone's most inner strengths...in your case, your strongest form is as Yoko Kurama...in the most dire of situations, and only then, will this jewel transform you into the form of your most powerful self."  
  
Kurama drew a sharp, quick gasp, blinking shocked emerald eyes at the beautiful stone. "Mind you, Kurama," the toddler continued. "once you use this once, and the situation is dealt with, the jem will dissolve into the air, and will be reborn here, as another type of stone with another type of power...so mind you, only allow it to change you into Yoko Kurama when you truly need it to."  
  
The fox studied the gem for a moment, responding with a stern, firm nod. "Very good, then," Koenma tossed the jewel for the fox, who caught it delicately in his nimble hands.  
  
"I bid you luck, Kurama...you'll need it against your father."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"We've been walking for so long!" Kuwabara whined annoyingly.  
  
"It's been twenty minutes, idiot..." Hiei seethed.  
  
"Calm down you two," Kurama demanded softly. "We'll be getting transportation to the Kyorgin Caves once we reach a certain point."  
  
"Did Koenma ever say where that point was?" Yusuke scanned the desolate countryside...a black sky spanned overhead, outlined with a gray horizen against the cracked, dried brown country spreading out endlessly.  
  
"Just continue on in the south-eastern direction until we find something," Hiei snapped faintly, staring dead ahead. How he wanted to kill something...especially if that something threatened Yukina.  
  
"Hello, boys," a familiar voice piped. It was young, sweet...and belonged to...  
  
"Hinegeshi?!" Hiei wailed at the sight of his scarlet-haired crush. The girl responded in an awkward smile at the fire demon, red tinting both their cheeks.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Kuwabara laughed kindly as he jogged towards the girl.  
  
"Koenma sent me...I'm to give you all transportation to the Kyorgin Caves," she grinned in her perky, innocent manner. Kurama and Yusuke approached her delightedly, Hiei straying behind, awkwardly staring.  
  
Hinegeshi slowly extended her arms outward into the air, and from pure nothingness wood materialized in the form of an oar. The red-head giggled slightly as she clasped the oar tightly, handing it carefully to Kuwabara. The quirked boy took it awkwardly, staring at it in confusion.  
  
"Just kick your leg over, and push off the ground, Kuwabara," Hinegeshi explained without a glance to him as she busied herself with the formation of another oar for Yusuke.  
  
When Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama all possessed their own oar to glide upon, the perky ferry girl turned to face Hiei. The fire demon pricked awkwardly when she turned to face him...'dammit!' he seethed at himself. 'now she must hate you for kissing her against her will and then running off...damn emotions!'  
  
"Hiei?" she inquired softly. Hiei jerked to attention, facing the girl with a hint of dread.  
  
"Uh...yes?" he managed to cough. 'damn human emotions!!'  
  
"Um..." she cast her eyes to the ground. "I can only make one more oar..." she lied. "so, uh...wanna share the last one with me?"  
  
Hiei pounced the opportunity...casually, of course. "Hn...whatever..." a singe of red stained his face as he plastered an expression of cockiness.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"So, Hiei..." Hinegeshi tipped her chin towards her shoulder at the demon. Hiei sat nimbly upon the oar, his back pressed against hers and himself in well balance. Kuwabara and Yusuke shot through the air violently, doing insane tricks upon their oars. Kurama stood nimbly upon his, staring calmly ahead, arms threaded tightly.  
  
"Yeah?" the fire demon grunted.  
  
"That kiss..."  
  
Hiei pricked. 'uh-oh...'  
  
"I liked it."  
  
"Nani?!"  
  
Hinegeshi could only laugh as Hiei side-stared at her over his shoulder in disbelief. He made little effort to face her, but simply eyed her in half-shock.  
  
"Yeah, I...I did..."  
  
"I see..." Hiei smirked to himself.  
  
"Yeah...oh!" she dove her oar straight downwards, not a flinch to grace Hiei's face at the sudden change of course.  
  
"Boys!" she hollored upward, trying to catch the others' attention. "The Kyorgin Caves!"  
  
'Yes...' Kurama stared intently upon the deep, round-edged hole seeping inward against the cliff wall of Mount Shiverku, a calm wind stroking his bushy crimson mane. 'I remember this place well...' his emerald eyes stared viciously to the glinted, sharp crevases of the mountainside. 'I remember the cave...father...you shall not live to admire this magnificent mountain another day for what you have done to Botan.'  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Hinegeshi," Kurama cast soft, velvet eyes toward's the lovely girl. "You must not stay here...it is a threat to your life, and we cannot risk yet another one of our friends in there."  
  
"I understand," Hinegeshi nodded briskly to the fox. "I should go." with one last glance at the boys, and one last eye-locking stare with Hiei, the girl fabricated another oar and kicked off into the black sky. Hiei followed her form's retreat with sharp eyes, a faint smirk tinting his lips.  
  
Kurama stared deeply into the bowels of the cave entrance, his sharp eyes piercing into the darkness that blinded Yusuke and Kuwabara. The fox strolled calmly into the domain that was once his home, but was now the lair of his enemy...his own father.  
  
Long strides led them deeper and deeper into the cool, damp cave, darkness engulfing them...Kurama and Hiei led the humans through the blackness with their advanced eyes. The ruby strung about Kurama's neck created a soft, red glow, but it did nothing to add to their vision...it simply singed red, but no more. Coldness racked Kurama's spine as terrifying thoughts traced his mind. 'What if they've hurt her? What if they...no...oh God, no...!'  
  
"Kitsune," Hiei side-eyed Kurama. "It's obvious you worry about Botan's well-being."  
  
"Huh?" the fox inquired casually.  
  
"Kurama," Hiei halted immediately, Yusuke and Kuwabara following his example. Kurama stopped to eye them all.  
  
"You love her, don't you?" Hiei smirked, but in a serious manner.  
  
"What?!" Kurama coughed, his cheeks singeing red.  
  
"Kurama...I could tell...when you saved her from the fire-escape, that's when it started...you couldn't stop thinking about her."  
  
"Eavesdropper..." Kurama snuffed calmly.  
  
"Perhaps..." Hiei's smirk narrowed tight. "...but ever since you had to keep her warm on her oar during that storm just several hours ago, you haven't been able to stop thinking about how it felt to hold her..."  
  
"WHAT?!" Kurama wailed in disbelief. 'how can he know THAT much?!'  
  
'I'm a telepath, remember?' Hiei smirked as his thoughts pricked into Kurama's head alone.  
  
"Ah man!" Yusuke chuckled hard. "He got you SO bad, Kurama!" Kuwabara was caught in mad hysterics as well, Hiei smirking calmly at the reddening fox. Kurama, though singeing crimson in a blush, glared soft-sharp eyes at the annoying fire demon.  
  
"Greetings, Strangers," a low voice sliced through the laughs and glares. All four boys jerked to attention at the voice...it was male, deep, and nearly threatening.  
  
Suddenly, a flash of light crackled through the darkness of the cave, and there stood a demon with a freshly lit torch clutched in his clawed hand. Thin tufts of gray hair glossed down on the scalp shot to his shoulders. His build was taller than Kurama, but his muscle span was smaller than that of the fox-wolf. His eyes were sharp daggers of royal purple, which stung sharply against his ice blue skin. Scars painted the Japanese sign for "hatred" across his chest.  
  
"Ew..." Kuwabara couldn't help but snarl a wince at the calligraphy- shaped scar.  
  
"Hn," Hiei grunted at the teenager. "The hell are you?"  
  
"I am your murderer, that is all you need to know."  
  
"I don't have time for this..." Kurama half-seethed, extending an arm outward to signal for his friends to back away. The fox quickly combed his hand into his mane, retracting a single, scarlet rose.  
  
"Ah, Kurama," the demon sighed, an evil grimace lacing his hideous face. "I was ordered by the Master to make sure you are alive and well...for him to kill."  
  
Kurama growled viciously. "That's a shame...Rose Whip!" the rose's petals shot from the flower and the stem lashed longer than three yards within the blink of the eye, deadly thorns spiking viciously from it's surface. With one ruthless lash of his whip straight for the foe's skull, Kurama retracted his spirit energy from the rose, the flower taking again it's original form, and he laced it back into the bushy mane of crimson hair. Kurama calmly stepped over the blood-clotted carcus without an expression to be noted, and continued on his way into the bowels of Mount Shiverku, his eyes flashing a mad emerald in a pure rage...partly at his friends for just embarrassing him a moment prior, but mostly at his father...a demon beast who kidnapped Botan. An image of the bubbly girl laced through his head, Kurama jerking from his thoughts with a singe of red clouding his cheeks. "Botan," he uttered to himself faintly, his eyes soft in a velvet glare.  
  
Hiei smirked after the fox, knowing that it was rare an occasion that Kurama would plant the first attack in battle. Normally, the fox studied the opponet's manueveurs first, and calculated his own tecnique from the foe's weakness. But to see the Kitsune attack anyone first...that was a Kodak moment in Hiei's view.  
  
Blood seeped heavily from the freshly butchered demon, leaking into the nooks of the smoothly rugged stone floor. Yusuke and Kuwabara stared in utter disbelief...Kurama had been even more vicious in battle than normal...just imagine how insanely furious Kurama was with his father to literally cut a battle short. Both boys slowly stung their senses back to reality, jogging after the determined fox and the smirking dragon.  
  
Each of the four had his own state of mind in the matter at hand. Yusuke...'Keiko...I...I, love you...don't worry...I'm, I'm coming.' Kuwabara...'Yukina...my love...I will fight for you and you alone, baby!' Hiei...'Sister...your kidnapper shall meet his fate soon enough, I swear it.' Kurama...'Botan...if you're dead, I shall slay my father with no restraint...if you're alive, I shall slay my father with no restraint, merely for taking you away and threatening your safety. I promise you this.'  
  
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Hiei: that wasn't violent! *whimper*  
  
Anemone: I already told you...the more violent occurrances will start in the next chapter...this was foreshadowing the violence.  
  
Hiei: if there isn't a battle in the next chapter, I'm gonna kill you...  
  
Kurama: *whisper to Anemone* no he won't...I'm not leaving...  
  
Hiei: Kitsune! It was called an empty threat! One she was supposed to fall for! *whimper, storms over to her bed and angrily turns on the music to out-sound the others*  
  
Kurama: anywho, please review, we appreciate it very much so. 


	14. HCl

*Anemone's room...Anemone is sleeping on her homework, Kurama is trying to gently wake her up, Hiei's got DoubleDrive on full blast*  
  
Hiei: ...one step, I make an imprint...  
  
Kurama: Anemone? Please wake up, Anemone...  
  
Anemone: zzzzzzzzzz  
  
Hiei: Kitsune, calm down...she's got the story all set up on the computer already...  
  
Kurama: well...  
  
Hiei: just upload it...*resumes singing, a few lines having been missed* draw my other leg up, and the pace is set...  
  
Kurama: I suppose I could...  
  
Anemone: zzzz'Ah! *brief pause, music continues as the boys stand silent* wait! I'm not done yet!  
  
Kurama: ^_^ *as she rushes to computer* uncanny how she woke up just at this precise moment...  
  
Hiei hn...*singing, having missed a few lines* you cut yourself from the cords of the wicked...gotta believe in what's real...  
  
Anemone: *after typing one sentence* okay! Now it's...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...  
  
Kurama: ^_^' I'll upload it for her *leans over Anemone, uploads the chapter, picks her up, and gently lays her on her bed.*  
  
Hiei: get on with the enjoy crap, Kurama...  
  
Kurama: Chapter 14...enjoy.  
  
Chapter 14: HCl  
  
The boys continued into the deep bowels of the Kyorgin Caves, Kuwabara having been smart enough to take hold to the torch that one demon had, now lighting their way.  
  
"I'll take the next one," Hiei announced for the group to establish. "I sense a strong demon in the coming cavern."  
  
"Very well," Kurama breathed softly. The fox cast his eyes towards his short friend, seeing pure rage and determination locked into the Koorime's scarlet eyes. Kurama drew back, focusing his fox-like sense of smell towards the next open cavern. 'I can't smell Botan's or Keiko's natural scent anywhere near here...but I can smell Yukina...and her Spirit Energy is still at its peak, so she's still alive, thankfully...Hiei probably knows she's being held captive around here.'  
  
"I see you made it through the guard," a lusty, coo of a female's voice hissed. "No matter...he was weak."  
  
The darkness of the vast, jagged cavern was broken with the torch Kuwabara clasped hard onto. A demonness, attractively tall and slender, stood in the dead center of the broad opening in the heart of the Kyorgin Caves. Her hair slicked long against her back, a glossy silver with flicks of ruby staining a few locks. Her eyes were sharply narrow, a deep shade of night blue. Her face was equally attractive as her figure, flawless and slender, making her a very lovely demonness. On one shoulder, a deep scar gashed deep into her flesh in the Japanese calligraphy symbol for "Murder".  
  
"Is this like a cult, where every demon here hasta have a scar in Japanese writing?!" Yusuke wailed in annoyance. That's when he, and the others, noticed a certain mint-haired aperition chained tightly against the jagged stone wall. Whimpers escaped her delicate form, until her crimson eyes cast upward at Yusuke's remark, a hopeful shadow of a smile tinting her little face. "Kazuma!"  
  
"Yukina!" Kuwabara wailed for his girlfriend. The red-headed punk was about to embrace her when a certain Katana lashed in front of his face, causing the boy to freeze.  
  
"I wouldn't do that, moron..." Hiei glared dead ahead for the threatening demonness guarding his little sister. "Besides...I already called dibs."  
  
Yukina pricked. 'Hiei? Why is he so intent on fighting for me? Maybe he only wants a chance to kill something...or, maybe he wants to save me...but what reason would he have for that?'  
  
"You guard Yukina from her freedom...you will die." Hiei glared scarlet daggers at the demonness, who simply smirked. Yukina pricked tense. 'Why would he kill her for guarding me?!'  
  
"Don't refer to me as 'you'...Call me by my name, Syaaka."  
  
"Hn, whatever," Hiei grunted viciously. The Koorime clicked his wrist to one side, his Katana tightly gripped in his clutch. The blade sliced the air mercilessly, it's glossed glare shining silver to rival Syaaka's hair. "Prepare for death, Syaaka."  
  
"Fair enough," Syaaka crouched in stance, clinking her wrists. Her hands sprawled apart, silver claws spiking each finger. "I must warn you...watch the hands, or you'll die..."  
  
Hiei pricked just slightly. 'what?'  
  
Suddenly, Syaaka pounced for the fire demon, her claws aiming straight for his throat. Hiei grunted hard, a smirk tinting his lips. His form melted into nothingness just as she was to dig into his neck with her vicious claws. But she found herself thrashing into the stone floor of the rugged, cool cavern.  
  
She violently ripped her hands from the dense rock, kicking off for Hiei yet again. Kurama, Yusuke, and Kuwabara scanned the scene, watching the two race through the air. Suddenly, Kurama pricked when a strang sound echoed in his sensitive ears. He jerked down to see...the stone Syaaka had dug her claws into...it was sizzling into itself, as it would if in contact with a lethal acid...hydrochloric, the strongest there is. Kurama jerked wide eyes at the dissolving stone, jerking up to stare at the fight yet again. 'he can't allow her to claw him...she's got an acid touch, I've seen it before...it will kill him.'  
  
Hiei jumped gracefully from Syaaka's reach, but just barely, her claws nearly grazing his chin. The Koorime leapt into a blur yet again, but Syaaka's cunning was far more than her performance thus far had given her credit for. The demonness swept her leg viciously through the air, a good three yards off...but Hiei rammed dead straight into her foot, her heeled boot digging deeply into his stomach. Hiei snarled a hard wince, beads of saliva escaping his lip. Syaaka grinned deviously, her narrow navy eyes sharpening in ruthlessness as she dug her claws into the valley of Hiei's collarbone. The fire demon snarled, forcing a gnarled fist deep into the demonness's gut. She ripped apart from his collarbone, both flaying to a staggering landing. Hiei smirked darkly at Syaaka, until a deep, burning, sizzling pain struck his collarbone.  
  
"AH!" Hiei snarled a quivering wince, clasping his corrosing wound tightly.  
  
"Kurama, what happened?!" Yusuke wailed as Hiei collapsed to one knee in utter pain.  
  
"She's got an acid touch!" Kurama breathed half-calmly. "Her claws issue out HCl, the strongest and most corrosive acid there is...it could kill him if he allows her to strike him again."  
  
Syaaka landed lopsidedly, a devious smirk tinting her lusty lips. "Ha!" she laughed. "I warned you to watch the hands..."  
  
Hiei growled viciously, clasping his collarbone tightly. "Bitch..."  
  
"Oh!" she smirked. "Fiesty..."  
  
"Hn!" Hiei flicked his wrist, his Katana striking the air briefly. The fire demon kicked off into a bolt run, leaping up into the air of the cool, damp cavern. His form jerked to normal speed high above the foe, his glossed blade ready to dig into her spine. Syaaka, well aware of where he was, whirled around with a speed to rival even Hiei's, thrusting her foot into his chin. Hiei flew off course, ramming hard against a jagged wall of stone upper-back first. Dust clouded his form on impact, the short Koorime falling limp to the stone floor.  
  
"I think I've won," Syaaka jutted her hip outward slightly, smirking at her fallen foe.  
  
"Not yet!" Hiei wailed, his form jerking into nothingness. Syaaka pricked in fear, until her neck was rammed against Hiei's vicious kick. Blood flew in tiny beads from her gaped mouth as she collapsed. The fire demon glared red daggers at the fallen Syaaka, gripping his Katana tight. "I think I'VE won..."  
  
Syaaka whipped her hand for his ankle, but Hiei kicked from her reach, landing lightly a distance away.  
  
"He's winning," Yusuke smiled.  
  
"Perhaps," Kurama's stern eyes studied the battle intently. "Perhaps not..." Yusuke eyed Kurama in disbelief, jerking back to the fight.  
  
Syaaka was back on her feet, kicking off for Hiei's direction. She lashed her claws for his chest, each strike missing the mighty Koorime. Hiei raised his Katana and prepared to swing the blade. "My turn for offense!" he wailed, his glossed blade streaking the air as it whipped in all directions for the demonness. Syaaka barely dodged each strike.  
  
"Damn!" he groaned. Syaaka smirked darkly, kicking off again for the Koorime. She channeled her Spirit Energy into her forceful steps, making herself all the faster. Hiei just barely avoided each lethal swipe, a few grazes of acid scratches smearing his chest. The demon clasped his chest tightly, the pain of the scorching acid too much for him to bare. Syaaka's smirk deepened as she took this chance to dig in for his heart.  
  
Yukina watched in utter horror as the fire demon stood in agony. 'it's my fault he's in such pain...' her thoughts whimpered. "Hiei!!" she wailed as Syaaka pounced to slice into his chest.  
  
Hiei jerked angry, sharp eyes at the demonness, slicing his blade through the air just as Syaaka's claws pierced his skin. Both enemy hollored in utter pain...as blood spilled to the floor. Syaaka clasped her butchered limb, pinning the remainder of her arm tightly against her chest, guarding it viciously with her other, in-tact arm. Sharp, shrill wails screeched in heavy echoes through the vast cavern at mercy with her pain.  
  
Hiei's eyes pinned wide in overwhelming agony. Syaaka's forearm was lodged into his chest. The fire demon snarled shrieks of pain, sweat lacing down his temple. Acid swam into his ribcage, a burning, sizzling feeling sparking through his chest. Hiei snarled sharp cries, ripping the arm viciously from it's clutch clawing into his ribs. Blood, tainted in acid, trickled down the crevices of his exposed abs, singeing pain burning and smoldering without mercy. The short Koorime gripped his wound tightly, his hands quivering as HCl swam greedily into his pierced bloodstream. Choking, quivering breaths escaped him under the massive pain as he staggered on his weight, kicking a leg under him for support, breathing hard through grit teeth as pain overwhelmed him.  
  
"Oh no..." Kurama breathed softly.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: hey there! what did you think? eh?  
  
Hiei: hey! you made me weak!  
  
Anemone: did not!  
  
Hiei: but I lost to a GIRL!  
  
Anemone: first off, you didn't lose...yet...and second, the hell's the problem with losing to a girl?!  
  
Hiei: it's degrading!  
  
Anemone: WHAT?!  
  
Kurama: heh...er...right...anyway...moving on...Hiei, she didn't make you weak...  
  
Hiei: *whining* yes she did!  
  
Anemone: lookit! I didn't make you weak, okay?! I made Syaaka strong...  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Kurama: anywho, please review.  
  
Anemone: yeah, please do...I need the confidence boost...  
  
Kurama: heh...right...if you want to see what happens, please review...thank you. 


	15. The Next Step

Skipping straight for the story...here you go.  
  
Chapter 15: The Next Step  
  
Hiei stiffled struggled wails as acid clogged his veins, singeing him through. Syaaka quivered on the ground, sprawled out in pure agony with her severed arm thrust to the floor beside her. Blood laced the floor, seeped mercilessly from Syaaka's butchered limb, and stung tainted in Hiei's chest.  
  
Yukina stared in utter horror...the blood...the death...the pain...it was all because of her...it was her fault Hiei was injected with such corrosive acid. It was her fault he was in such pain. And now, as she watched on in utter fear, Hiei trembled to stay alive.  
  
Pain stung his senses, sizzling without remorse into his entire body. Suddenly, Syaaka began to pulse in heavy laughs, her form jerking back and forth slightly as her voice chuckled louder and harder come each passing second. "It seems I've won..."  
  
"Not yet!" a familiar tone wailed from above, heading straight for the fallen demonness. Syaaka cast fearful eyes upward, the last thing she ever saw being a consuming blast of whiteness that engulfed her entirety, until she completely disintegrated into nothingness. Yusuke landed softly beside the wounded Hiei, angry chocolate eyes glaring harshly at the demonness's singed ashes. Spitting a "tch" sound to his right, he said flatly, "Spirit Gun."  
  
Yukina quivered in shock...so much death...so much pain...and yet her blood eyes had to examine the entire scene.  
  
Hiei collapsed, unable to take the pain any longer. He whimpered against his will, snarling heavy wails of pain. His eyes were pinned wide, sweat drenching his brow under the massive burning tearing his chest apart. Yukina's thoughts abandoned the dead Syaaka and focused solely on the wounded Hiei. 'I'ts all my fault! He's in so much pain! He could die!'  
  
That's when a strong arm leveled Hiei by the waist to a lopsided stand. The fire demon pricked to the side to face Kurama's calm emerald eyes, the fox helping his friend remain steady. "Okay, Hiei..." Kurama studied the corrosive wound with tremendous care. "You need a death seed implanted into that wound."  
  
"Nani?!" Hiei pricked.  
  
"It'll absorb the acid from your system...and it turn the acid will kill the plant...you can take it..."  
  
"Duh I can take it...but that doesn't mean I'll like it..."  
  
"You'll live..." Kurama ended abruptly, slinging Hiei's arm over his shoulder, half-dragging the Koorime towards the wall to set him down. Kuwabara leapt over the scene, forgetting all his valued morals about fighting girls...this girl was evil...she had kept him from his beloved Yukina!  
  
"Yukina!" Kuwabara wailed heartily as he rushed for the mint-haired aperition. Yukina smiled warmly as her boyfriend ran towards her, intending to free her from the rusted shackles clutching her wrists raw.  
  
"Oh Kazuma!" she smiled. Kuwabara halted before the chained Yukina, leveling both hands in midair. "Spirit Sword!" Golden light shot straight upward in his grip, a wild array of a sparking glow caught in his hands. Yukina gaped at the marvelous weapon as it's glow licked her features. Kuwabara lashed the blade through the air, slicing through the rusted chains pinning the little demonness to the jagged stone wall. Yukina yelped slightly as her little form began to collapse for the ground, until Kuwabara caught her gently in his strong arms. Kuwabara chuckled at himself as she cast relieved eyes to him, coiling her arms tightly about his neck in a little hug.  
  
Hiei couldn't help but half-smirk, despite his utter pain. Yukina was safe...and he was the one to save her.  
  
"You're a better brother than you think..." Kurama combed a sprawled hand through his bushy crimson mane, retracting a little branch in his loose hold.  
  
"Hn..." Hiei grunted, leaning lazily against the jagged stone wall, eyes pressed loosely shut, waiting for the overwhelmingly painful acid to be retracted from his body.  
  
"Hiei?" a timid little voice piped softly. The fire demon half- grunted as he opened his crimson eyes to see Yukina. He nearly pricked...but didn't.  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"Um..." Yukina bowed her head low, a soft crimson tinting her face. "Thank you...so much, for, for saving me..." Kuwabara and Yusuke, standing calmly behind the mint-haired beauty, smiled faintly.  
  
Kurama smirked as his nimble hands continued work on the branch of the death plant, snagging the seeds loose. "See?" he smirked harder, eyes shut loosely.  
  
"Hn." Hiei grunted for the silent-laughing fox. He slowly turned his attention for his little sister. "Whatever..." he shrugged, trying to act as normal as possible, but nearly failing.  
  
Yukina pricked faintly. "Oh..."  
  
Kurama slowly pressed a seed into Hiei's open gash--the fire demon snarling hard as the vicious plant took root in his chest--and slowly stood beside Yukina.  
  
"He meant you're welcome," Kurama smiled softly at the girl, who smiled faintly in return. Although Kurama's words were enthusiastic and what everyone wanted to hear, he had been contemplating upon other matters. In these caves, where the scent of his father grew stronger with every step. But he couldn't catch the aroma of Keiko anywhere near here...or...Botan. He feared violently for her life, and was almost at war with himself to remain calm in front of the others...especially Yukina...he couldn't show his truly ruthless side in front of such an innocent, fragile girl, for two reasons. He didn't want her to be exposed to death when the sight isn't necessary...and Hiei would kill him if he traumatized her in any way.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Kurama lead the group through the bowels of the Kyorgin Caves in pure silence...his eyes flashed brilliant as they traveled farther and farther into the vast caves. Hiei stalked silently beside Kurama, eyes piercing straight ahead, their blood shade stinging the darkness. Hiei's wound was still open, and stung from exposure, but the acid had been retracted. Now he had three open gashes in his chest, and acid burns about his arms and collarbone. Yusuke followed close behind the fox, a stern behavior about him. Kuwabara lay a hand gently about Yukina's shoulders, holding the terrified girl loosley as they traveled deeper and deeper into the caverns.  
  
"Hiei..." Yusuke half-asked. "Can you sense Keiko or Botan anywhere near here?"  
  
"My Jagon in having trouble," Hiei half-grunted, his open Jagon almost quivering. "I get flicks of their presence, but then it gets shielded by the wolf's powers."  
  
"Close the eye, then," Kurama ordered softly. "I can lead us through...my father's scent looms throughout the entire mountain...if I can get us to him, no doubt we'll find the girls."  
  
"Fair enough..." Yusuke smirked. 'Keiko...I'll find you.'  
  
"Wait..." Kurama stopped, the others doing likewise. His eyes faded shut as he focused his fox-like sense of smell upon the upcoming cavern. "Keiko!" his emerald eyes flashed wide. "The next cavern!"  
  
Yusuke pushed the demons aside as he sprinted ahead, a violent look about his chocolate eyes. The others rushed after him, the dim, damp cave slowly melting to a wide, half-lit cavern. As the group caught up with the Detective, they found him staring upwards in shock. A huge, iron cage dangled heavily from the cavern's ceiling, Keiko locked into it's rusted barriers. Yusuke's eyes quivered as he focused on his unconscious girlfriend, sprawled over the bottom of the cage, her legs and arms flaying loose between the iron lace.  
  
"Keiko!" Yusuke wailed. The punk whirled around, and rushed away from the cavern. The others watched as Yusuke's form disappeared in the OPPOSITE direction. Yukina, Kuwabara, Hiei, and Kurama could only blink in confusion.  
  
"Detective!" Hiei called into the darkness. "Your mate is THIS way..."  
  
Suddenly, Yusuke sprinted back, three times as fast as before, a low growl in his throat. Kuwabara pricked, pulling Yukina behind him as Yusuke zoomed by. The fox and dragon stared at the boy, until they understood. Yusuke ran half-way into the cavern, kicking violently off the ground and jumping straight for the cage. Yusuke just reached it, coiling his grip tight about the iron bars and dangling on the underside of Keiko's trap. Yusuke calmly slipped his arm through the cage's bottom, clasping Keiko's arm loosely.  
  
"Hey, Keiko..." Yusuke whispered softly, nudging her arm. "C'mon, wake up..."  
  
"Huh..." her caramel eyes slowly bobbed open, a soft coo of a moan slipping from her. "Yu-Yusuke...?"  
  
"Yeah," he smiled softly from under the cage. "I'm here Keiko...you'll be fine..."  
  
"Yusuke?!" Keiko pricked awake, clasping his hand tightly. Yusuke laced his fingers with hers, smiling brightly from under the bars.  
  
"I'm here...I'm gonna get you out and get you home."  
  
"Oh Yusuke!" Keiko half-scrambled, half-crawled for him, so her face was just above his. She gripped his hand hard, and he gripped hard back. Yusuke smiled softly at her as he dangled under the cage.  
  
"Enough with the romance..." Hiei complained softly, only loud enough for Yukina, Kuwabara, and Kurama to hear.  
  
"I think it's sweet..." Yukina tipped her head slightly at the pair dangling up in midair. Kurama smirked tauntingly down at Hiei with a raised eyebrow, Hiei grunting to himself. Suddenly, Kurama pricked.  
  
"A demon's coming to attack," Kurama jerked his eyes for the far left. Hiei could feel it too, and both fox and dragon awaited calmly for the demon to appear. Kuwabara quivered all over, trembling violently.  
  
"It's so strong!" He braced himself in a hug about Yukina's shoulders, who nestled back in slight fear.  
  
"Keiko..." Yusuke tightened his grip on her hand harder. "Are you hurt?"  
  
"No..." she sighed slightly.  
  
"Three..." Hiei rolled his eyes as the power approached. Yusuke still remained oblivious.  
  
"Good..." Yusuke grinned up at her.  
  
"Two..." Kurama pressed his eyes closed, threading his arms about his chest loosely.  
  
"Does he know what he's doing?!" Kuwabara half-wailed at the two demons, who didn't respond.  
  
"Kazuma! He'll be hurt!" Yukina jerked her head upward to face Kuwabara, fear staining her scarlet eyes.  
  
"One," Both fox and dragon declared in softly-firm unsion, both flashing their eyes wide, staring straight ahead with firm, serious glares. Suddenly, a huge booming noise echoed hard into the cavern, shaking the entire space. Kurama and Hiei had already braced themselves firm, and remained unmoving as the quake jerked the cavern up and down. Kuwabara collapsed after a few shakes, Yukina braced tightly in his arms, landing on top of him, both yelping slightly. The cage whipped from side to side, Yusuke threading his other arm through and, wrapping it about Keiko's back, pinned her tightly to the bottom of the cage, his strong arm clasping her firm. The banging noise broke through one of the cavern walls, debris and dust clouding that entire half of the cave. Kurama raised an eyebrow at the strength. Hiei was half-impressed so far. Kuwabara pinned himself firm against a wall, holding Yukina firmly.  
  
The demon, still veiled from the dust and from darkness, zipped slyly into the depths of the space. Kurama and Hiei, of course, seeing the foe from the start. The enemy pounding through the cool air, halting at the cage. Yusuke didn't even get a glimpse when a punch hooked into his jaw, forcing him violently from his grip to the cage. Yusuke collapsed straight downward, his upper-back slamming hard into the crumbled rock. Debris and dust clouded on impact, and there Yusuke lay, the new foe laughing silently at the fallen Detective.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: yo...what did you think?  
  
Hiei: not as much violence...  
  
Anemone: *sigh* I know, Hiei...but it was too long to get into another fight...this is a good place to pause.  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Kurama: I love this! This is so cool! Anemone, you're an amazing writer...  
  
Anemone: tell me something I don't know...  
  
Hiei: way to go, Kitsune...now she's full of herself...  
  
Anemone: am not...  
  
Kurama: oh well...she can be a little proud of her work...I know I am!  
  
Anemone: thanks, Kurama sweety...  
  
Kurama: you're welcome. What about you folks? Do you like the story thus far?  
  
Anemone: review and let me know, peeps. Latr. 


	16. Spirit Gun

*Anemone's room...Hiei, Kurama and Anemone are listening to DoubleDrive's "Imprint", Kurama singing along...very well*  
  
Kurama: One Step...I make an Imprint...Two steps is commitment...Three steps, I'm not done yet, draw my other leg up...and the pace is set...  
  
Hiei: *impressed* nice voice, Kistune...  
  
Anemone: yeah! Who knew Kurama could sing?!  
  
Kurama: ...Gotta tell you what I feel...although your tank is running low...over the split-life for real...pat the hood you're good to go...  
  
Anemone: while he does that...here you go, chapter 16.  
  
Kurama: ...hear you now! you're cut from the cords of the wicked...  
  
Hiei and Anemone: *cheering him on, first time he ever sang* woo! yeah!  
  
Chapter 16: Spirit Gun  
  
Yusuke snarled hard...a firm pain stung his back from the impact with the rock floor. "That's it! You're dead!" the Detective growled at the laughing aperition floating above. It was a male this time, a young teenager from the looks of it. A short, bushy poison-green mane sprouted from his scalp, gathered in the back in a short ponytail, thick, spiked tufts of bangs hanging loose. His eyes were sharp and narrow, a vicious shade of silver that stung against the shadow veiling his face. His build resembled Yusuke's, same height and same muscle span. Straight across his chest was a deep gash in Japanese calligraphy reading "Intimidation".  
  
Kurama and Hiei examined the foe with sincerity. "He's strong," Kurama showed no facial emotion. Hiei grunted.  
  
Yukina, lying on top of Kuwabara's chest, cast her eyes upward. "Oh no, Kazuma...what if Yusuke gets hurt?"  
  
"Calm down, Yukina..." Kuwabara strung his arms protectively about her back. "Urimeshi'll be fine..."  
  
"Are...are you sure, Kazuma?" she locked her crimson eyes into his blue ones.  
  
"I'm certain," Kurama piped, without a motion towards either of them, but staring intently at the demon floating in the air. "That Yusuke will be alright, Yukina."  
  
"Hn..." Hiei grunted, linking himself to Kurama in a telepathic conversation. 'Too much bloodshed will make her traumatized, Kitsune...'  
  
'I know, Hiei.'  
  
'Then why don't you go in there and stop this before it starts?' Hiei cast in eyes upward curiously to the fox as his thoughts entered Kurama's head.  
  
Kurama smirked with a vocally silent response. 'Why not you?'  
  
'You're practically a doctor, Kistune...you should know my injuries are too fresh for another fight just yet...'  
  
'It's a good thing we're speaking telepathically,' Kurama chuckled softly. 'You'd never admit that outwardly...'  
  
'Answer me Kistune,' Hiei grunted. 'Why don't you go in there? This demon has very interesting powers...it could tear the Detective apart.'  
  
'Because, Hiei,' Kurama's soft eyes faceted hard and cold. 'I'm to fight my father. And besides..." Kurama smirked calmly. "...denying Yusuke the honor of rescuing his own girlfriend...that'd be somewhat cruel, would it not?'  
  
"Hn..." Hiei grunted vocally, severing their telepathic tie. The Koorime cast sharp scarlet eyes for the foe laughing maniacally down at Yusuke. "Whatever, Kistune..."  
  
Kuwabara blinked in confusion at the fox and dragon. That was wierd what they just did. First, they just stood there, Hiei looked at Kurama, Kurama smirked then laughed, then Hiei grunted, then Kurama looked all serious for a minute, then he smirked again, and then Hiei grunted and said whatever Kistune, all the while neither of them talking. "The hell-?" Kuwabara blinked awkwardly. "What was that little display about?!"  
  
Yukina nodded in agreement, still caught on top of Kuwabara's chest. "Um, yes what was that you just did?"   
  
Kurama and Hiei smirked to themselves. "Later..." Hiei grunted, gazing upwardly at Yusuke's foe.  
  
"Indeed," Kurama nodded, following the dragon's example.  
  
"Hmpf..." Kuwabara glared daggers at the demon's backs, gripping Yukina tightly. "Those guys are ALWAYS doing that to me..."  
  
Yusuke braced his arms firmly beneath his quivering form. Pain struck his upper back, a vicious zap of pain that her forced away with a sharp snarl. The teenager leveled himself balanced on sprawled legs, glaring chocolate daggers for the floating demon above. "You're gonna pay for that!"  
  
"I think not..." the demon smirked as a sly, velvet voice cooed from his chuckling form.   
  
"Bastard!"  
  
"Refrain from swears before the delicate ladies," the green-haired foe smirked, motioning towards Keiko and Yukina, Keiko pinning against the farthest wall of her cage from the demon, and Yukina tightening her hug in Kuwabara's protective arms. "Besides, 'Bastard' is not my name...I AM, however, called Kruntag."  
  
  
  
"Kruntag, Dirtbag..." Yusuke smirked. "Not much of a difference to me."  
  
"Illiterate, are we?"  
  
"The most!" Yusuke cracked his knees in a low bend, pushing off against the ground into a high leap for Kruntag. The green-haired aperition's silver eyes blinked slow, jerking wide with a change in them. They were even fiercer, and more deadly. A violent flash shot from his eyes, and Yusuke froze mid-jump. The Detective struggled hard in midair, but was unable to move.  
  
Kruntag smirked deep, tilting his head for the right a brief instant. Yusuke's arms pinned hard against his sides, his elbows bruising into his hip. Yusuke snarled a half-wince at the impact. Suddenly, his legs knuckled tightly together, bruising and chaffing at the tightness. Yusuke's face singed red from strain as he struggled to force himself loose.   
  
"That won't help him...Kruntag's power over body limbs is too strong." Kurama thought aloud.  
  
"What do you mean?" Kuwabara inquired faintly.  
  
"He needs an immense amount of Spirit Energy to break loose...not just all his physical strength. Of course, doing so he'd waste his Spirit Gun...Kruntag is quite the formidable opponet."  
  
"What?! You mean even if he CAN break loose he won't be able to shoot a Spirit Gun?!"  
  
"Isn't that what he just said?" Hiei glared over his shoulder. He yearned to rip into Kuwabara's limbs, tear him apart for STILL cradling Yukina against his chest...but he couldn't because Kurama was right there.  
  
"Indeed," Kurama nodded calmly. "But, Yusuke has been getting stronger...so, he may be able to shoot a bullet...but..."  
  
"But...?" Kuwabara bowed his head slightly, eyes cast up at the fox in hope.  
  
"But...he may singe his arm right off with raw Spirit Energy."  
  
"What?!" Kuwabara wailed. Yukina flashed worried eyes from fox to dragon, who seemed unmoved by this at the moment.   
  
"Ugh!!" Yusuke struggled hard in the tight bind. "Asshole!"  
  
"Tisk, I already asked you to refrain from swears, Detective," Kruntag smirked menacing eyes, tightening the bind about the wriggling Yusuke.  
  
"C'mon, Yusuke, you idiot!!" Keiko leapt to the center of her cage, cheering her boyfriend on. "Break free!!"  
  
"I'm TRYING, Keiko!!" Yusuke snarled. Kruntag growled as a deep smirk graced his face.  
  
"Couple's Counciling, anyone?" he chuckled.  
  
"Shut up!" Yusuke and Keiko grunted in angry unison.  
  
Kruntag's smirk deepened sharp. Suddenly, with a cat's grace, the green-haired demon snaked through a hole of Keiko's cage. The girl quivered in fear, a trembling wail echoing throughout the entire cavern. Kruntag smirked slyly at the helpless human, approaching her slowly with evil staining his handsome features.   
  
"Get away!" Keiko shrieked.  
  
"I think not..." Kruntag smirked.  
  
"Keiko!" Yusuke hollored through strained breaths. "Get the HELL AWAY from her!!"  
  
Keiko sprawled her hand wide, an angry expression swarming her little face. Her palm swat through the air, aimed for a raw slap across Kruntag's face. The green-haired villian jerked his eyes wide for a brief second, Keiko's entire form falling limp against her will and collapsing to the bottom of the cage. He smirked down at her deviously, his silver eyes glowing through the shadow shading his face. Keiko screamed hard, unable to move her now flabby body.   
  
Kurama and Hiei stared in shock. Kuwabara and Yukina quivered slightly in fear. "No!" Kurama breathed coarsely. The fox pounded off into the depths of the cavern, leaping upward into the air for the cage. Yusuke cast confused eyes at the red-head, who clasped a hand at Yusuke's arm, both floating in midair. Without hesitation, the fox sprawled his palm wide, a strain quivering it violently. Suddenly, a beam of hunter's green shot from his fingertips, molding to a glowing ball in his open hand.   
  
  
  
"I'm lending you some Spirit Energy," Kurama husked his calm voice. "Don't waste your own to break free...use this..." with that, the fox forced the ball hard against Yusuke's chest. The Detective snarled firmly, the glowing ball seeping slowly under his flesh. Kurama quickly kicked off against Yusuke's back, shooting for the cage. The fox gripped hard to the lacing bars, an angry, ruthless glaze about his calm, emerald eyes. With stunning acrobatics, Kurama forced the cage in a swinging motion back and forth. Kruntag cast angry eyes for the humanoid red-head, flashing them wide for a second. A numb feeling struck over the fox, for a brief moment. With a shoot of Spirit Energy, Kurama forced through the bind, continuing the swing. Kruntag was too shocked to set himself firmly in the cage, and he tipped over, landing on top of the immobilized Keiko.  
  
"Damn!" Kurama half-winced, half-stared. "Keiko!"  
  
Beads of red shot from her mouth, her eyes quivering wide. Kruntag had elbowed her deeply in the stomach. "Keiko!!" Yusuke wailed, a deep growl echoing in his throat. Kurama ripped into the iron bars of the cage, leaping inside gracefully. The fox yanked Kruntag from Keiko's stomach, thrusting him through the open slot of the cage. Kruntag, however, was no longer helpless.  
  
"HA!" Kruntag halted in midair, forcing an immense amount of his power upon binding Kurama. The fox snarled a sharp wince as his arms hugged about him tightly, bruising himself from the tight grip Kruntag forced. Kurama's knees buckled tight, the fox unable to force them apart. Kurama's eyes flashed angrily in a poison emerald.   
  
'Why won't this thing work?!' Kurama locked his gaze upon the ruby strung about his neck. It still glowed faintly scarlet, but Kurama was still lacking his truest power. 'This isn't the most dire of situations?! Damn...!'  
  
Kruntag smirked under the immense pressure of holding the fox tight. "You're harder to hold than the Detective..." he chuckled deviously through strained breaths. "That must mean you can control your Spirit Energy better than him..." Kruntag pulled his arms back, dragging the struggling fox from the cage. Keiko, a tiny sliver of blood seeping out from the corner of her lip, stuttered after him. "No...Kurama..."  
  
Kurama snarled hard, growling with the sincerity of a lone wolf. His face, that brief expression before he was thrust mercilessly against the jagged stone walls of the cavern, the look of thirst for death, was stronger to his wolf heritage than to his fox...it was the first time Kurama had ever stared with a wolf's murder eyes. The look was missed by Kruntag's slowness...but Hiei had caught it. He was surprised, to say the least.   
  
'My, Kistune...' Hiei blinked wide, shocked eyes. 'You ARE half-wolf...that face...I've only seen it once...' Hiei bowed his chin downward, his crimson eyes watching the scene just as intently. 'The last time I saw your father...rage is new to you, I can tell...keep it under wraps until we must face your father, though...that is all I can say.'  
  
Kruntag laughed insanely at Kurama as the fox rammed into the stone wall. "Although it takes much of my energy, I CAN control you!!"  
  
Kurama's body lay sprawled and limp on the floor. The fox had hit the wall too hard, and he had sacrificed too much energy to Yusuke. As the dust cleared to reveal Kurama lying in a puddle of his own blood, eneryone, let Kruntag, pricked in horror.   
  
"Kitsune!" Hiei blurred into the air towards the fox, jerking to a strained halt before the fallen humaniod. 'his human body is too sensitive to impacts like that without his normal amount of Spirit Energy,' Hiei examined the unconscious Kurama silently. 'although he is one of the strongest demons to date, he gave too much Spirit Energy to the Detective, and didn't keep enough for himself...' Hiei crouched by the fox's side, coiling an arm around his stomach to support Kurama against his shoulder. Blood seeped thickly from an open gash at Kurama's chest. Hiei cast his crimson eyes upward to Yusuke. 'Detective...he gave his needed Spirit Energy to you...you better not waste it.'  
  
Yusuke stared in shock at the fox. "Kurama..." he stuttered slowly. Suddenly, his eyes hardened firm. "I WON'T WASTE YOUR ENERGY!" he wailed, a low scream escaping his form as he focused on his bound limbs. Pain stung him blind, but the enraged teenager forced through it. Suddenly, he jerked backwards, his arms and legs flaying loose as he collapsed to the ground. "Yes!!" he smirked, flipping to the rugged stone floor. The Detective glared copper daggers to the poison-haired aperition above. "Die..." Yusuke set his gunning arm firm, aiming angrily for Kruntag. "Spirit..." his tone was low and threatening, whiteness gathering slowly at the tip of his finger. "GUN!!"   
  
A gigantic wave of whiteness shot viciously from his arm, engufling the dim cavern in a stunning white glare. As his last move, Kruntag quickly cast an enchantment on Yusuke's gunning arm, before severing into the engulfing blast of Spirit Energy.  
  
Yusuke smirked faintly at his work, until a rithling pain pulsed maddeningly forcefully through his gunning arm. Yusuke snarled sharp winces, collapsing under the massive pain. After several tense moments, his arm fell limp, and Yusuke was unable to shoot, aim, or even lift his arm.   
  
"Urimeshi!!" Kuwabara kicked off against the wall, setting Yukina to the ground lightly and rushing for his rival. "Urimeshi...you okay?"  
  
"Just peachy..." Yusuke forced a pained smirk, steadying himself firm. "Kurama..." he tried to turn in the direction the fox had collapsed, but he in turn fell. Kuwabara caught him gently, keeping him set straight. Hiei approached the group slowly, an unconscious Kurama leaned on his shoulder.  
  
"The Kitsune isn't well..." Hiei scoffed quietly. "He gave up too much energy for the Detective...that impact with the wall was too much for him..."  
  
"What are you saying?" Yusuke eyed Hiei suspiciously.  
  
"Kurama had the energy level of a two-year-old human boy," Hiei cast his eyes low. "the wall was too sharp and hard...his remaining energy is slipping fast."  
  
Yukina pricked in a start. "But...he can't...you don't mean he could..."  
  
"He gave me that much energy?!" Yusuke snarled. "No...no, why did he do that?!"  
  
Crimson beaded at Kurama's chin, slipping over the peak and dripping off to the floor. Red soaked deep into the fibers of his blue button-down, and the wrinkles of the rolled sleeves stained in scarlet. The fox didn't move, and was hardly breathing against Hiei's shoulder. Yukina about burst.  
  
"I know my healing powers aren't that good, but I must try!" the mint-haired beauty pinched her face in determination. She rolled the sleeves of her teal kimono above her elbows, motioning for Hiei to plant the fox to the ground. Hiei hesitantly lay his friend to the floor, noting just how much blood shed from him. Scars at his neck, chest, stomach, and shoulder all seeped in thick masses of blood. Hiei cast his crimson eyes for the wall, a small gasp sharpening his breaths. Blood smeared every-which-way, tainting that whole side of the cavern red.  
  
"You are a fool, Kurama..." Hiei breathed hard. "You needed that energy for your father...how could you part with it..."  
  
Suddenly, Yusuke pricked. "Keiko!!" he wailed, pushing Kuwabara's hold on him away. "Oh God Keiko!" the Detective pounced for the ripped cage, dangling by it's rounded hole's edge with his left arm, his gunning arm still limp. Yusuke kicked himself in the swinging cage, casting pained eyes down at Keiko. "No...Keiko..." he stuttered, kneeling by her side. He strung his arms about her frail form, her eyes stunned wide from that impact into her stomach. A tiny sliver of red leaked from her lip.  
  
"Oh my God..." Yusuke's heart weighed down. He tucked her head under his chin, rocking her slightly. "Keiko...Keiko, c'mon! Wake up!"  
  
"You...jerk..." Keiko forced a chaffed stutter. Yusuke's chocolate eyes filled to the brim in glossed tears as a soft chuckle pulsed him.   
  
"I know, I suck!" he laughed, gripping her close. Keiko threaded her arms tightly about his neck, hugging firmly.  
  
"You're a jerk!" she half-cried, half-giggled into his shoulder.   
  
"But I'm your jerk..." he laughed into her hair.   
  
"Yes, you're my jerk!" Keiko ripped from his shoulder, digging her lips deeply into his, half-mumbling, "...my jerk..."  
  
Hiei grunted at the display. "Humans...I'll never understand..."  
  
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a/n: wow! long chapter...well, I g2g...hopefully this'll suffice for the next few days...latr. 


	17. Problems

More reviews, please, I don't feel loved! lol j/k, I feel plenty loved...51 reviews is awesome! especially since they're all nice!...but, again please review lol I appreciate the tips...anywho...skipping for the story...sorry about the lateness, but this week was too much...and I had writer's block...but, not anymore! so, enjoy!!  
  
Chapter 17: Problems  
  
"Oh..." Yukina stuttered awkwardly, drawing her hands against her collarbone and away from the unconscious fox. She gazed down at him in silence, her red eyes pained. "I can't do much more...my energy was drained, when..." her timid voice faded to quietness when the others gazed down at her fragile little form intently.   
  
"What did that foolish bitch demonness do to you?" Hiei cast worried, violently-flashing eyes to his little sister...who was still oblivious to her relations with him.  
  
"Oh..." Yukina shifted her eyes away. "It doesn't matter...you, you already...'took care' of that..."   
  
"No, it does matter..." Kuwabara crouched beside her, draping his hands about her little shoulders. "'Cuz then we'd hafta bring her back to life and kill her again." Yukina pricked awkwardly at the red-head's statement, but was eased back to her calmer state when Yusuke stepped towards the bunch, Keiko hitched to his back, arms coiled loosely about his neck. He had her propped this way for their jump from the cage, and he was now slowly setting her to the ground.   
  
"How is he?" Yusuke crouched by Kurama's side, examining the beaten fox.   
  
"I was, er...weakened, here..." Yukina drooped her head in shame.  
  
"You were abused..." Hiei's face struck a firm, enraged glare, about to burst of anger. Yukina gazed up to him, locking his blood eyes with her own. In a moment of silence, Hiei realized the girl's plight, and that she didn't need any more violence in her young life. With a heavy sigh, Hiei jerked away, a calmer tone about his character.Yukina tucked a mint spike of a lock of hair behind her ear in a disturbed state of mind. "...and, I don't have enough energy to bring him to consciousness...or to restore his Spirit Energy...but, his wounds are healed," she finished in a hopeful tone, praying that what she DID manage to do will be considered helpful.  
  
"Thanks, Yukina," Yusuke smiled softly at the gentle aperition. "You did your best...don't push yourself any further if you can't take it."  
  
She nodded slowly, a disapointed expression tainting her face. Kuwabara coaxed his arm around hers, gently assisting her up.  
  
Blood soaked deep into the fibers of Kurama's shirt. His blue button-down was tinted in various spots with gruesomely large stains of scarlet. His rolled sleeves were snaged by the viciously jagged rock wall, and slivers of red snaked their way down over the puncturing veins of his arms. Kurama's massively bushy mane was weighed tight against his scalp with sticky blood that blended in perfectly to his hair's violently red shade. His emerald eyes locked closed, and his mouth gaped a sliver wide, crimson seeping out in tiny strokes. His kakis were torn in various spots, and blood soaked them heavily. His muscles were loose, and his face was tense. The fox's gashes and scratches may have been healed over, but the blood-lose was certainly too much for him. His Spirit Energy wasn't a nickel's worth, and his physical energy barely kept him breathing.   
  
"This is terrible..." Keiko knelt by the fox's side, and gently began stroking his soft face. Her hands eventually combed into his disheveled mane, brushing the short locks from his bloodied temble. Kurama's breaths eased slowly, his voice gurgling in the depths of his throat.  
  
"B-Botan..." the fox stuttered. "Botan..." his voice cooed to an easy, smooth whisper. Everyone, let Hiei, pricked. Hiei smirked.  
  
"Even when unconscious, the sharp-witted, brilliantly clever Kitsune has more of a one-tracked mind than anyone would suspect."  
  
"What do you mean?" Kuwabara piped.  
  
"I mean," Hiei glared calmly over his shoulder to the group behind him. "that he's thought of nothing but Botan for days now...and with her threatened, his thoughts focus solely on the annoying bluette."   
  
"He cares about her that much?" Keiko cast her caramel eyes softly downwards for the wounded fox. Her soft hand threaded into his, gripping firmly.   
  
"Indeed...he denies attraction to her," Hiei smirked. "but he really is crazy for the irritatingly perky ferry girl."   
  
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"Let me go!!" Botan screeched angrily. "YOU BETTER LET ME GO!!"  
  
"Oh SHUT UP!!" the demon growled deviously at the ferry girl.  
  
"I will not!!" Botan's candy eyes narrowed sharp.   
  
"That boy has VERY bad taste in women..." the wolf sneered in angry annoyance. "I cannot BELIEVE that YOU are his weakness...you haven't shut up ONCE..."  
  
"Well maybe I'd shut up if you LET ME GO!!"   
  
"Oh My God!!" the wolf's golden eyes sharpened deviously as he knotted his fist tight. The last thing Botan's raspberry eyes caught was the sight of his fist lashing downward for her face.  
  
"BOTAN!!!" Kurama wailed, his voice piercing into the void of cave and his emerald eyes flashing wide as he forced himself into a sit instantly. Keiko, Yusuke, Yukina and Kuwabara collapsed to their rears as the fox whipped up, each of his companions, including the introvertic Hiei, stared in shock at the fox's uncharacteristiv antics.  
  
"How DARE he!!" Kurama snarled viciously, his eyes flashing in anger. The fox swiped his leg beneath him, kicking up in a quick gesture and rushing off from the cavern.  
  
The entire group stared. A full five minutes, silence choked the hollow cave, all five teenagers staring quietly after the rushing fox. At a random moment, Hiei shifted in a weighed sigh, kicking off after his best friend. "Kitsune...wait up!"  
  
With yet another moment of silence, the rest finally gave in, rushing after the enraged fox.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
  
  
"Finally..." the wolf cast relieved, gold-flicked eyes at the unconscious Botan. A large, swelled stain of gray tainted her temple. "I don't like resorting to the abuse of females...but you just don't shut up..." he sighed a slow, nostril-flaring sigh, stepping slowly from his veil of shadow.  
  
One could certainly tell he was the father of the famous Yoko Kurama. His face was sculpted in the same shape, with age sagging it a little about the frame of his sharp, golden eyes. His nose was long and thin, perfectly placed in the center of his flawless expression of thirst for vengeance. His mane clashed against Yoko Kurama's, but nearly matched Suichi's. A blood red, bushy and wild, with an undershade of coal. Silver tainted some hairs, the result of age. He was, afterall, 1300 years old. The wolf's build was a horrific height, 8 feet, beating his young son's by 12 inches exactly. His muscle span doubled Yoko's, tense and buffed. Claws stretched long from his thin fingers, and fangs nestled comfortably in a wedge in his teeth, leaving his fangs usually unexposed. His ears were most definitely where Yoko inherited his own. Dog-like ears, each layered completely with short, charcoal hair. At a prick of a noise his ears would flick against his head, much like a dog's...or a wolf's, to be more exact. A smirk curved his expression from annoyance to admiration as he sensed his offspring drawing near.  
  
"Ah yes, Suichi Minamino..." he chuckled faintly to himself. "Run for it, lad, before your annoying beloved is more than merely knocked out."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Demons charged for the angry fox as he rushed further into the depths of the caves of Mount Shiverku. Kurama, though lacking his normally immense amount of Spirit Energy, was able to slay each without a bead of sweat to drip from his temple. He was lost in rage...the instant he felt Botan fallen at the hand's of the vicious wolf, Kurama's signature calmness betrayed him. He was trapped in rage, and though lost of Spirit Energy, he still possessed a decent amount of physical strength, and used it to punch the head's off the shoulders of any demon daring enough to pounce for him. Hundreds of low-class demons swam in their own blood at Kurama's passing.  
  
Hiei blurred into nothingness, jerking back to a human speed beside the angry fox. A smirk graced his face. "You're not sharing, Kitsune."  
  
"If you want to fight some demons, Hiei, I suggest you skip ahead..." Kurama didn't flinch in any way for the dragon. "...because anything living that crosses my path to guard me from her will DIE..."  
  
"Pissed off, ne?"  
  
"Very much so, Hiei..."  
  
  
  
"I see...well, if you won't let me take a couple, then I suppose I'll just sit back and watch...I don't feel like venturing any further than needed at the moment..."  
  
"Whatever you say, Hiei..." Kurama threw a punch for yet another demon, his knuckles briefly linking into the creature's jaw, cracking the bone on impact. Kurama viciously kicked the ungly beast away, continuing about his run for the main cavern. 'hitting her down...father, you bastard.'  
  
Yusuke, Kuwabara, Yukina, and Keiko, stared after Kurama as they followed. The fox was truly in a rage...and Hiei was so calm about it! Man...you'd think Hiei would try to calm Kurama down, or something...  
  
Suddenly, Kurama eased to a halt, crouching on one knee. Heavy breaths racked his lungs, several tiny beads of sweat forming at his temple. Exhaust from the run finally got to him...he had just sprinted seventeen miles into the Shiverku caves, and left behind him a heavy trail of dead or hurt demons...not to mention he did so with the energy level of a mere human, and lacking all his Spirit Energy.   
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
a/n: dont feel like a conversation wit Hiei and Kurama...  
  
Hiei and Kurama: hey!  
  
Anemone: shh!!! migraine...anywho, please review...latr 


	18. Another Foe

*Anemone's room...all three are playing War with her DBZ cards, Anemone winning, Hiei losing by a lot and getting p/o'd...Kurama notices readers and welcomes them warmly.*  
  
Kurama: salutations, friends...  
  
Anemone: hahaha!! I got yet another one of your Goku's, Hiei...  
  
Hiei: ugh!! Screw this game!! *throws cards against table, goes off to the corner in a huff*  
  
Anemone: yoserz, my loyal fans!  
  
Kurama: yoserz? Heh, 'interesting' word, Anemone...  
  
Hiei: hn...interesting is an understatement, Kitsune...readers, she's always saying wierd stuff like that...  
  
Anemone: well grrness to you, flames.  
  
Hiei: see!  
  
Kurama: *sigh* ANYWAY...oh my...*re-reads last chapter...whines* Mones!!  
  
Anemone: what?  
  
Kurama: *whimper, a reeeaaally cute expression of betrayal* it's just...you made me and Botan go through so much pain...*whimper, looks at readers with desperation* Can't people just leave us alone?!  
  
Hiei: *rolls eyes* oh God...  
  
Anemone: aww! Poor fox...but hey, this story's bout you...so, yeah, there'll be pain...*Kurama pouts in the cutest way* but hey! come the end, you'll both be safe and happy!  
  
Kurama: *beams* really?!  
  
Anemone: yes.  
  
Kurama: happy day!  
  
Anemone: yeah, I rock...  
  
Hiei: ningen get to the damn story...  
  
Anemone: okay, okay, jeez...  
  
Hiei: quit talking and be grateful I didn't kill you both from that overly annoying conversation you made me sit through...*Kurama glares*  
  
Anemone: there there, Fox...just say your line and I'll buy you an ice cream...and none for Hiei.  
  
Hiei: nani?!  
  
Kurama: ice cream? Yay!!  
  
Hiei: *angry mumbles* I want ice cream...  
  
Anemone: Kurama, your line.  
  
Kurama: ah yes...Chapter 18, enjoy.  
  
Hiei he gets an ice cream for THAT?!  
  
Anemone: yesm.  
  
Hiei: er...Chapter 18, enjoy! *whisper* do I get ice cream now?  
  
Anemone: no.  
  
Hiei: DAMN...  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Chapter 18: Another Foe  
  
"You tired yourself out," Hiei stepped up beside Kurama. The fox was locked in course, uneven breaths, his throat stinging sharp. "Yukina didn't have the energy to completely heal you, you know."  
  
  
  
"Indeed," Kurama breathed heavily. "I obviously lack my normal strength."  
  
"Obviously," Hiei smirked. "Although it is impressive that you killed so many demons at once," the Koorime cast his eyes for the piles of corpses lining the walls. "I suggest you keep your energy in tact...Koenma tends to leave bits of information out."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"  
  
"We don't know if that ruby will need a certain amount of energy to be triggered, Kistune..." Hiei motioned for the glowing stone strung about Kurama's neck, still producing an eerie red sheen. "Koenma never told us if it requires ki to work...you'd best refrain from any more fighting until we find your father...you've already done more than your share of killing." Hiei slowly clasped Kurama's forearm, assisting the fox to a stand.  
  
"Very well, Hiei."  
  
"Guys!" Kuwabara wailed from the dimness the fox and dragon had abandoned. Yusuke clasped Keiko's hand with his left, his right arm still limp. Keiko coughed hard under the strong stench of death, but she was far better off than Yukina. Yukina staggered slowly from the heavy scent of blood fogging the air, and the fragile mint-haired beauty was having trouble walking the scent was too heavy. Although Kurama's sense of smell was more sensitive than hers, he was used to heavy amounts of blood...she wasn't. Yukina was truly having trouble running into the depths of the Kyorgin Caves when blood leaked in every corner.  
  
Kuwabara halted instantly in his sprint to check on Yukina. Her senses swarmed hazy, and she couldn't focus. "You okay, Yukina?!"  
  
"Oh Kazuma I'm...I'm..." before the little aperition could finish, her blood eyes rolled back lazily into her head, and her knees buckled beneath her.   
  
"Yukina!" Kuwabara wailed as his girlfriend collapsed against him. The punk quickly coiled his arms around her tiny form, tucking his arms under the bends of her knees and steadily under her shoulder-blades. "No! Yukina, wake up!!"  
  
"Kuwabara!" Yusuke seethed. "Come on!! Yukina will be fine, but we hafta keep going...keeping her in here will only make it worse!"  
  
In hesitation, Kuwabara burst in silent stutters, sprinting after the group with Yukina snug in his arms. Hiei glared daggers over his shoulder to find his little sister unconscious...and in Kuwabara's arms.   
  
  
  
"Good day, Intruders," a male voice foreign to each rang their senses. Kurama and Hiei snarled in response, Yusuke stepping in front of Keiko and Kuwabara hugging Yukina protectively against his chest. "My name is Hitorihamet. Indeed, you all know you'll die here and now, right?" from a veil of shadow stepped yet another demon, clad in brown velvet. Mane of bushy charcoal and wound in a loose ponytail, the demon's face was revealed. He was dark minded and mysterious, with a suspicious look about him. He was attractive enough, perfect features and a perfectly toned body. Ice blue eyes and a devious smirk, he suited his scar well, one that spanned his left peck, and that read "Terror".  
  
"Hn..." Hiei growled low, his lips tugging for the side in a smirk. "Somehow I doubt that..." the three-eyed demon coiled his nimble fingers tight about the hilt of his Katana, ready to draw the glossed weapon.  
  
  
  
"Wait!!" Kuwabara wailed, the dragon halting in mid-draw. The red-headed punk approached the group's front slowly, the delicate mint-haired demonness snug in his arms. "I haven't pulled my weight around here...let me fight."  
  
  
  
"What?!" Yusuke piped at Kuwabara in disbelief. "Dude you can't!"  
  
  
  
"Indeed," Kurama winced in heavy breaths. "His ki level is amazingly high, Kuwabara..."  
  
"So?!" Kuwabara seethed defensively. "I have to fight..." his bobbing eyes slowly cast over to the face of his beloved aperition. "I didn't get to save her myself..." his eyes jerked up in a ferocious glare. "I at least should fight someone to help this whole damn cause!!"  
  
"Kuwabara..." Yusuke stuttered in disbelief. The red-headed punk stared daggers at his companions.   
  
"You all got to put your best in...let me too!"  
  
"Hn..." Hiei slowly pressed his sword into the sheath again, calmly dragging his fingers from the grip of the hilt. "You are a fool."  
  
"Maybe I am..." Kuwabara stared earnestly at the group. "But...but I have to fight...or else, why the hell am I here?!"  
  
Silence overtook his companions...a contagious silence that missed the Hitorihamet. "Will someone fight me, or shall you all spend time conversing over the situation? I am losing my already thin patience with you, and I wish to face someone...I really don't give a damn who."  
  
"Shut up, you asshole! I'm coming!" Kuwabara glared threateningly at the impatient Hitorihamet. Kuwabara slowly approached Hiei, a serious glare about his face. Hiei gazed upward at the tall human, confusion tinting his face. The red-headed punk slowly lifted Yukina higher in his hold, preparing to set her in Hiei's arms. The dragon was hesitant, confusion glinting his crimson eyes brightly sharp. Hiei nestled his little sister firmly against his chest, her spiked mint mane cushioning her head comfortably against his shoulder.   
  
"What are you doing?" Hiei blinked in confusion at the headstrong Kuwabara. The human slowly drew his arms from Yukina's limp form, turning towards the impatient Hitorihamet. Kuwabara calmly grunted out a smirk, side-glancing for behind his shoulder.   
  
"You're the older brother...you take care of her 'til I get back."  
  
Hiei pricked. Kuwabara actually trusted him with Yukina? He actually handed her to him willingly?! Hiei knew Kuwabara was aware that he and Yukina were siblings, but still...Kuwabara actually entrusted Hiei with Yukina's safety? That wasn't characteristic to the protective Kuwabara at all.   
  
"Okay you stupid demon thing," Kuwabara set his shoulders firm and glared thoroughly at Hitorihamet. "You're goin' down!!"  
  
The black-haired aperition smirked at the young ningen. "Whatever, human...we'd better get started...and get a few buckets cuz when I'm done, there will be more blood than I want on my floor."  
  
"Just shut up!" Kuwabara sprawled his hands broad before him, focusing his entirety into his palms. With an almost painful surge of energy, a crackling flicker of light stung at his fingertips. "DOUBLE SPIRIT SWORD!!" the teen wailed, each hand quivering slightly as a blade of pulsing red light licked his bare palms in a stinging burn that lasted two seconds. Kuwabara's lips tugged for the left in a smirk, setting firm into a posture fit for battle.   
  
  
  
"Intruiging move, human..." Hitorihamet nodded, almost half-impressed. "Too bad that I've powers overwhelming to your puny, insignifigant ki level."  
  
"Just try me!" Kuwabara seethed, his pride unshaken. Kurama leaned against Yusuke's limp shoulder, still trying to tame his uneven breaths and examining Hitorihamet intently with a sincere glare. Yusuke still clenched tight to Keiko's hand, guarding the brunette behind his back with a defensive gaze about his young face. Hiei cradled the still unconscious Yukina in his strong arms, studying Kuwabara with his usually serious tone of an expression.   
  
"Hmm...I think I shall, boy..." Hitorihamet smirked.  
  
"My friggen name is Kuwabara, okay?!"  
  
"Your name could be dog shit for all I care, human...the point is you won't be alive much longer for the use of a title, so why bother wasting my time with such petty matters as names?"   
  
"Shut up!!" Kuwabara lunged viciously for the foe, a speed faster than any the teen had ever managed. A high surged through him as the speed picked up, but he set himself focused firmly on attacking Hitorihamet. In the last inch before Kuwabara's crackling blade stung into the black-haired enemy's neck, Hitorihamet jerked for the side, a solace smirk tainting his devious features.   
  
"Ha..." Hitorihamet coughed an emotionless breath of a chuckle, an eerie looking, green-hazed breath of smoke circling from his smirked lips. Kurama pricked at the sight, only the fox noticing the foreshadow of an attack...his keen nose detected a horrifying scent. The battle continued, the twin blades slicing the air and missing Hitorihamet by a hair of a hair.   
  
"Uh-oh..." Kurama winced slightly at the scene as the battle dragged on in repetition.  
  
"What?" Yusuke cast his chocolate eyes calmly for his right, the fox clasping onto his shoulder.   
  
"That demon...he breaths abnormally..."  
  
"What, like athsma?" Yusuke blinked in confusion. Keiko slowly laced her fingers from Yusuke's and gently cupped her hand about Kurama's shoulder, allowing some of his weight to pin against her arm. Her caramel eyes bobbed upward and locked to his emerald, a glaze of question faceting hers sharply in question.  
  
"Not like that," Kurama glanced them both, setting his sights firmly ahead. "Normal people...and usually all demons...inhale Oxygen and exhale Carbon Dioxide."  
  
"Yeah, so?" Yusuke shrugged.   
  
"He does not exhale Carbon Dioxide..." Kurama glared low and sharp at Hitorihamet.  
  
"What does he exhale...?" Keiko blinked stunned caramel eyes at the black-maned demon fighting the stubborn teenage punk.  
  
"I could smell it...and..." Kurama breathed slow, a weighed sigh shifting his weak features, the fox still lacking of Spirit Energy.  
  
"...and?" Hiei blinked a side-glance for the others, waiting for Kurama's answer.  
  
"Hitorihamet can breath poison."   
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
a/n: hey...I'm sorry bout the lateness, people...I've had the busiest week of my young life...no time for anything! But, summer vacation starts tomorrow right after 8th grade graduation...yay...so, I'll be able to update more frequently. And, for your painful patience, you all get a reward as my apology...pure painful violence in the next chapter, and the detail will be soooo focused, you might even feel it...oo! that gives me the willies...anywho, please review, I appreciate it ever so much. ;-) 


	19. The Slash of a Blade

Anemone: the boys are sleeping...*turns around to look at Kurama and Hiei, Kurama lying half-neatly on her bead with confetti and streamers all over him, Hiei sprawled out on the floor, snoring, with dried neon paint staining his cloak* we just got back from a party, and they just followed me home lol...actually, Kurama followed me home...rather than breaking in, as Hiei always does, he was drunk and Kurama had to knock him out and carry him here...lol so obviously they're gonna crash for the night...but anyway, they'll prolly wake up later, by the end of the chapter, so here you go...chapter 19, enjoy...hopefully it'll live up to my promise of sheer violence...*prays*   
  
Chapter 19: The Slash of a Blade  
  
"AHHH!!" Kuwabara wailed whole-heartedly, lashing his sword yet again for Hitorihamet's face, missing the smirking aperition by less than a hair. Kuwabara slashed again and again, his blades crackling madly and glowing a fierce red against the crevices of Hitorihamet's features. The teenager's face was stained in an angry expression and was licked in a scarlet glaze. With every lethal whip of the swords, Hitorihamet's smirk deepened, Kuwabara's rage fueling the next lash.  
  
"This is awful!" Keiko stared in disbelief at the repetitive battle. "No matter what he does, Kuwabara can't get him!"  
  
"Hn..." Hiei grunted lowly at Keiko's lack of faith, the girl casting confused caramel eyes to the fire demon. Hiei didn't flinch in the slightest to face her, rather remaining focused entirely into the battle. "You obviously don't know that the idiot can do more than lash his Spirit Swords."  
  
"Indeed," Kurama nodded, balanced by both Yusuke and Keiko, his emerald gaze locked ahead in a serious manner. "When we trained him for the Dark Tournament, we taught him how to control his Spirit Energy to an impressive extent."  
  
  
  
"If we do say so ourselves," Hiei continued the statement, eyes fixed solely for the fight. "We did a good job with him...despite his foolishness, and the fact that he hasn't used his best move yet...what an idiot...it almost hurt trying to train him."  
  
"Don't say that..." Kurama smirked a side-glance for his best friend. "He had to deal with a lot...hint hint..." the fox's smirk deepened, Hiei throwing a glare for the side in response. "...and I'm sure he'll use the trick in a moment."  
  
"He'd better," Hiei grunted. Yukina gurgled a soft moan, jerking his senses to the girl still secure in his arms. Her spiked mint mane and gentle little face reminded him so much of their mother. 'hn...' his thoughts were soft and lacking of harshness. 'you look so much like Mother, Yukina...to think, someone so innocent as yourself can resemble the very cause of all this hatred...had Father not taken this wolf demon's crush for himself, neither of us would have been born...but, since we WERE born, we may now be killed, simply because of our parents...hn...a vicious cycle...either we aren't born, or we are and we eventually get slaughtered...sigh...but, please don't worry, Yukina...if that buffoon blows it,' Hiei cast sharp, narrow crimson eyes for the struggling Kuwabara. 'I'll protect you.'  
  
"Kuwabara!" Yusuke wailed in annoyance, the red-headed teenager still lashing his sword in all directions, Hitorihamet dodging with ease. "That isn't working!! Try something else, you idiot!!"  
  
"Shut up, Urimeshi!!!" Kuwabara seethed angrily. "I know what I'm doing!!"  
  
"No you don't," Hiei called with an emotionless expression to match a monotonous tone.   
  
"Gah..?! Just shut up!!" Kuwabara wrinkled his nose sharply in anger at the short fire demon. Suddenly, his jaw met with a frame of sharp, firm knuckles, digging forcefully into his face. Hitorihamet punched whole-heartedly for the teenager's cheek, a singeing pain racking Kuwabara's senses violently. Kuwabara's eyes glazed wide, the impact soaked in immense Spirit Energy. Not only was the punch of sharp-jutted knuckles and mighty force, but it was drenched in ki, which made Kuwabara's spine rack in a trembling shiver and made his skin jut in heavy amounts of goosebumps. His crackling blades simmered to nothingness in his grasp, his Spirit Energy slipping slyly back into his quivering body. Hitorihamet's lips tugged in a maniacal smirk.  
  
"Well, it seems I've won," Hitorihamet glared daggers at the trembling boy. Kuwabara was sprawled onto the ground, his fingers gripping into the blood-stained soil in an angry trembling fist-clench. Hitorihamet stood firm before the teenager, staring straight down with burning eyes.   
  
"Not yet!" Kuwabara growled, his glare sharp and fierce. His hand suddenly pulsed for half an instant, a mad shimmer of energy spitting viciously from his fingertips and crackling violently into the air. The ki dug deep into the demon's ankles, linking them together with streams of blood from the open wounds.  
  
Hitorihamet snarled trembled yelps of pain and surprise, collapsing instantly for the ground. Just before his trembling form hit the floor completely, Hitorihamet hissed a sharp breath in Kuwabara's face, a haze of eerie green swarming the air. The poison seeped greedily into Kuwabara's system with one breath.  
  
"Shit!" Yusuke wailed in shock. "Someone give that guy a friggen Tic-Tac or something!"  
  
  
  
Kuwabara's senses were dazed and stormy, concentration escaping his abilities. "Whoa..." he managed to groan through sharp breaths and dizziness. "Maybe this is why my mom's always tellin' me to stay away from drugs and all that crap..."   
  
"Kuwabara!" Yusuke called ferociously at the dazed red-head. "Get the hell up!"  
  
  
  
"Shut up, stupid!" Kuwabara coughed, his lungs soaked in a cloud of poison.  
  
"Well, the poison hasn't completely gotten to him yet," Keiko half-winced, tugging Kurama's weight to her shoulder so she could gently assist the fox to an Indian style sit.  
  
  
  
"Indeed," Kurama breathed softly. 'darn wounds...' he scolded himself fiercely as a spark of pain singed at his chest, a swarm of warmth flooding over his stomach in a thin sheen. 'gah...blood...' he snarled a silent wince as redness began to soak into the fibers of his shirt yet again. '...poor Yukina didn't have the strength to heal me completely...and I go and waste the little energy I had left and I re-open some gashes...thank God the other's haven't noticed I have fresh wounds.'  
  
Hitorihamet pushed himself up with a zestful thrust, a smirk of achievement staining his features. "Ha!" the demon chuckled at the dizzy boy, still wincing and whoozy on the floor. "I think I've won NOW..."  
  
"Ya know what..." Kuwabara mumbled faintly. "No."  
  
"Stupid human," Hitorihamet laughed, coughing a low breath into his hand, a cloud of smog clumped in his grasp. The demon laced his clawed fingers into Kuwabara's greased mane, tugging the dizzy boy to a wobbly stand. With Kuwabara upright loosely on two feet, a guivering whimper escaping him, Hitorihamet forced with all his might the ball of poison gas deep into Kuwabara's throat, the teenager's eyes flashing wide in maddening pain. An arm, clenching a mass of poison, had dug deeply into his asophogas, thrashing his throat all on sides and extending the width of his throat nearly ten-fold, almost killing him instantly.  
  
"KUWABARA!!" Yusuke wailed in shock and fear. Keiko stole a sharp gasp that stung her throat in a tiny tingle. Kurama grunted low, trying in desperation to remain calm, but at the same time trying to force himself up. Even Hiei pricked. "No..." Yusuke stuttered. "No...YOU BASTARD!"  
  
"Detective," Hiei seethed lowly, catching a look of surprise from the black-haired teenager. Hiei's expression wasn't quite as monotonous as usual, a little more forced of calmness and beaded just slightly in the temple with sweat. "Leave it be..." the aperition snarled at Yusuke. "...the idiot's Spirit Energy hasn't diminished, so he's still alive and kicking."  
  
"Yes," Kurama sighed lowly, a glare of heavy frustration sponging his features. Aparently, the fox's own weight held him back from standing up, Kurama unable to assist Kuwabara and now locked in self-anger. "Trust me...Kuwabara will be fine, just remain here and remain calm."   
  
Yusuke could only growl at his two demon allies, and force his pained sights back on the fight. Keiko collapsed to her knees, trembling in fear at the sight of Hitorihamet shoving his arm half-way down Kuwabara's neck. Kuwabara's throat quivered outwards and inwards with every given second, the boy still trying to breath. Keiko began a vibrant array of massive shivers, tamed only slightly when Kurama laced an arm protectively about her and dragged her gently against his shoulder, turning her sights away from the battle and to his shoulder. He didn't cast one look to her, but remained staring solely to the battle, a look of frustration and anger swarming his entirety.   
  
Suddenly, when Kuwabara couldn't stand the pain of an arm lodged down his throat any longer, Hitorihamet ripped his forearm free, Kuwabara instantly collapsing for the ground, cradling his throat tightly, gasping for breath while trying not to drown in all the spit clogging his asophogas. Streams of Kuwabara's saliva and blood laced the demon's arm, and escaped the youth's mouth in heavy amounts.  
  
"Well, he isn't choking anymore," Hiei stated flatly. Yusuke half-snarled at the koorime.   
  
"He's right, it's over now," Kurama whispered faintly for Keiko, the girl slowly retracting from Kurama's comforting shoulder and inching towards Yusuke, lacing her fingers tightly into his, Yusuke clenching back without a glance to her.   
  
"C'mon, Kuwabara! Get up!!" Yusuke cheered his friend positively.  
  
"That won't work," Kurama breathed low.   
  
"What? Why not?" Yusuke blinked confused chocolate eyes for the fox.  
  
"Did you not remember, Detective, that Hitorihamet clogged a ball of poison down the human's throat?" Hiei raised an eyebrow and cast a side-glance for Yusuke.  
  
"Huh? Oh my God he did?!?"  
  
"Yes, he did," Kurama sighed. "And with all the fresh wounds in Kuwabara's throat now...the poison has been swarming into his bloodstream."  
  
"What?!?" Yusuke gawked. "How the hell do you guys know this?!?"  
  
"We pay attention," Hiei piped that last remark without a glance to anyone but with crimson eyes locked solely on the battle.   
  
Kuwabara was quivering on the floor, his muscles tensing and loosening without control. 'damn...I guess I hafta use that move now...'  
  
"Hmph...human's break so easily..." Hitorihamet chuckled at the pained Kuwabara. "I can never find one that lasts long enough or that stands up to my hopes."  
  
"Shut up!!" Kuwabara wailed, his hand pulsing raw and a mad ray of redness crackling from his fingertips and straight upwards into Hitorihamet's shoulder, the creature gasping a breath of sharp pain as the short Spirit Blade sliced his bone apart. Kuwabara whipped to a firm stand, growling low at the demon. "You bastard!" his voice was chaffe, his throat clogged bloody, but anger pushed his raw tone through. With a single clenching motion of hand, a pulse of maddening, violent light crackled into Kuwabara's hold. The vicious energy licked sharply at Kuwabara's bare hands for a moment, but the youth was too angry and tired to notice. The pain eventually died, the flame still alive and violent. "Die!"  
  
With a single slash Hitorihamet collapsed to the ground in pain, a scar staining across his face. "Whoa..." Yusuke breathed at Kuwabara's new-found second wind.  
  
Kuwabara cast angry eyes downward at the hurting beast, his own breaths heavy from the poison clogging into his bloodstream, his sword dimming instantly. 'maybe I don't have to use it...'  
  
"Ha!" Hitorihamet whipped upward and slashed a deep gash across Kuwabara's chest, the muscle ripping violently apart, each fiber of the tissue unraveling. Kuwabara was stunned in shock and pain, blood seeping in heavy waves from the wound. It ensured hard, nearly impossible breathing. And to finish the pain off, Hitorihamet, decked in a heavy smirk, coughed another hazed breath of green at Kuwabara, this time straight into the fresh wound. A burning feeling singed the scar, Kuwabara pricked and locked in a stunned state of mind. Poison again clogged into his system.   
  
Hitorihamet gazed at his work in pride. "Indeed, now I've killed you, human."  
  
"I'm still breathing, darn it..." Kuwabara smiled faintly under the immense pain.   
  
"What? You stupid human..."  
  
"Heh...yeah, pretty stupid sometimes..." Kuwabara couldn't hold both eyes open during his heavy wince, but focused on keeping one wide and narrow at the demon. "But not right now."  
  
"What are you talking about?" Hitorihamet seethed.  
  
Suddenly, Kuwabara, who had just been half-crouching in pain, now forced himself to stand firm, and extended his arms straight outward. A low growl rolled in the back of his chaffed, bleeding throat, a firm expression tainting his features sharp. His hands quivered slightly as ki surged in thick waves from his fingertips, clenching into energy hilts in his grasp. Heat and crackling embers stung at his bare palms, but only for an instant. The pain diminished, leaving only Kuwabara's Double Spirit Swords.  
  
"He's in position," Kurama managed to half-smile, relieved, but still very pained and tired.  
  
"Finally," Hiei rolled his eyes. "He's going to do something that'll work."  
  
Kuwabara slowly began to twist his blades in a clockwise direction, a motion that soon began to blur into a mass of glossed white as speed picked up. Both blades whirled in mad circles, heat stinging hard to Kuwabara's temple. The youth winced slightly, but continued the move. Hitorihamet stared in utter disbelief.  
  
"Hn," Hiei smirked. "I'ts over."  
  
Suddenly, a huge surge of light, a maddeningly powerful flow of energy pounded from the boy, pain racking Kuwabara's senses. Kuwabara was trapped in a wail, his eyes frozen wide under influence of agony. Sheer energy vaccuumed from his system in a singly sharp sucking motion, channeling straight from him and into his spinning swords.   
  
Hitorihamet stared in horror, the light formulation of every fiber of the teenager's Spirit Energy looming above him. Without time to draw another breath, the wave sprawled itself the length of the room, and attacked straight for Hitorihamet. The demon's wails were choked by a flood of whiteness, bleaching him from view as it engulfed him. Kuwabara quivered violently under the immense pain as every fragment of Spirit Energy ripped from him into the vast cavern. Before his last beat of the heart, Hitorihamet forced a wail of poison into the atmosphere, dying in peace, knowing the poison would leak into all their systems and kill the kids instantly it was that deadly and thick. His body was disintegrated into shreds of ashes.   
  
"Oh no!" Kurama pricked as his sharp nose caught the scent of heavy poison.   
  
"What?" Yusuke called over the wails and booming noises echoing in the now quivering, crumbling cavern.   
  
"We have to get out of here, now!" Kurama wailed. Hiei side-glanced the fox curiously, but his eyes flashed wide as he too caught the scent.  
  
"Poison!" Hiei snarled at the Detective. "It could kill even the Kistune and myself, it is that strong!"  
  
"What?!" Yusuke yelled.  
  
"We must get out now!" Kurama struggled to stand but collapsed under his weight. Keiko quickly hooked the fox's arm about her shoulders and hoisted Kurama to a wobbly stand.   
  
"Yusuke, you have to save Kuwabara!!" Keiko ordered, trying to jog after the blurred Hiei for an exit as deadly poison fumes swarmed the cavern under the immense, blinding light.   
  
"Right!" Yusuke nodded briskly, sprinting into the veil of whiteness to find the energyless Kuwabara. Yusuke forced his watering eyes into the sharp glare of light, only to find Kuwabara lying half-dead on the floor. "Kuwabara!!"  
  
"Urimeshi..." Kuwabara winced heavy stutters. "...go, leave me...the poison...it's, it's too much...you'll, die..."  
  
"Screw that...!" Yusuke snarled as he hooked his good arm steady under Kuwabara's limp, drugged form. Not a sliver of Spirit Energy remained within his tattered body. Yusuke, holding Kuwabara secure to his back, quickly began a sprint for the exit, fumes beginning to cloud his senses. As he ran, his foot hooked tight into a rut of stone, Yusuke and Kuwabara collapsing to the ground and sliding slightly, both boys swelling in inhales clogged of poison. They hadn't yet reached the cavern's exit. Sweat and heavy breaths tainted them both, Kuwabara dry of Spirit Energy, falling victim to drugging by Hitorihamet, and tattered in all aspects, and Yusuke dying in the poison-stained air.   
  
Just as Yusuke's drugged, tired form was about to give in to the poison, and he was about to absentmindedly give in, a black blur caught in his hazy vision, just before he passed out under the fumes.  
  
Hiei quickly coiled his strong arms under both Yusuke and Kuwabara, sprinting for dear life from the cavern, a monotonous, yet somewhat stern glare about his face. Dragging the dying boys behind him, the cavern, drowned in Kuwabara's loose Spirit Energy, began to quiver and vibrate in destruction. Rock and dust sputtered in all directions, the demon blurring into the air to escape the white-stained room. The immense feeling of so much Spirit Energy nearly overwhelmed him every other second, but Hiei pushed onward for escape. Suddenly, the three pounded from the poisoned, collapsing cavern, blurring into the darkness of the bowels of the Kyorgin Caves.   
  
Eventually, Hiei forced to a halt, and gently allowed the drugged teens to collapse to the stone floor, both drenched in their own sweat, trying to remain alive. There sat Kurama, Indian style with the still unconscious Yukina craddled in his lap and Keiko standing by his side.  
  
"Yusuke!" Keiko half-screamed softly, jogging for the boy's side. Hiei's breaths were heavy and rash, the poison having seeped into his still open wounds.  
  
"Are you alright, Hiei?" Kurama inquired casually as Hiei approached the stone wall for a sit.  
  
"Peachy," the dragon snarled, trying not to wince. "That poison's some nasty stuff..."  
  
"Indeed..." Kurama nodded faintly. "And it would seem we can't continue until everyone is conscious again..." the fox slowly sprawled his hand wide, combing it loosely in his bushy mane, and retracting a short twig. "And medications are in order, seeing as Yukina's powers can't help us at late," he stated softly while casting brilliantly emerald eyes downward to the mint-haired beauty in his lap.   
  
"Obviously," Hiei growled a low wince. "How long?"  
  
"I estimate an hour before we may continue," Kurama gazed stern for Hiei. A brief silence laced between the two until...  
  
"Aren't you worried about her?" Hiei asked lowly. Silence as Kurama's nimble hands tweeded with the branch in his grasp. "Kitsune...?"  
  
"Yes, I am..." Kurama half-growled faintly, a glare of calm frustration about his face. "You haven't any idea how much."  
  
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a/n: whoa!!! long chapter...lol and the boys are still sleeping from that party, lol...and thanks to one reviewer for that idea bout the spinny swords and wave...read my list of reviews, you'll know who and wut they said. Anywho, I haven't been getting many reviews lately -- :'( -- I miss them! lol please pleeeeeeeease review more, guys...some of you do NOT know how much we authors like the attention! lol...hopefully you'll like this chappie...and it's almost an even twenty *yay* anywho, please PLEASE review...latr! 


	20. A Moment's Rest

Anemone: yay! chapter 20!  
  
Hiei: *sarcasm* woo...  
  
Kurama: congratulations, Anemone!  
  
Anemone: I feel so proud o' myself...  
  
Hiei: get to the blasted story, human...  
  
Kurama: Hiei...calmly allow Anemone a little pride.  
  
Hiei: no.  
  
Anemone: screw you I'm gonna bask in my glory anyway!  
  
Kurama: uh...Anemone...  
  
Anemone: *party favors in hand* what?  
  
Kurama: you still must WRITE the chapter...  
  
Anemone: huh? OH YA! teehee sorry bout that...*thrust party favors aside* I'll get right on that...  
  
Hiei: oh God...  
  
Kurama: chapter 20-*Anemone sticks a cazoo in his mouth, she's still trying to celebrate...Kurama looks confused...speaks through cazoo, voice muffled* enjoy...  
  
Chapter 20: A Moment's Rest  
  
"Oh Yusuke," Keiko threaded her fingers into the Detective's slicked mane, combing it smooth...he, Kuwabara, and Yukina were all still unconscious, leaving only Kurama, Keiko, and Hiei awake. Keiko tried to ease the three awake, speaking softly to each. Kurama pried nimble hands to the branch in hand, busily concocting cures for the poison afflicted boys. Hiei stood guard, hand coiled loosely to the hilt of his Katana.  
  
"He shall be fine, Keiko," Kurama smiled calmly to the frazzled brunette, resuming his work to the death-plant in hand. "As will Kuwabara and Yukina."  
  
"Hn..." Hiei grunted faintly, his back to the group as he watched for demons. "We can't stay here forever, Kitsune...are you working on the antedote?"  
  
"I've been doing so since you brought them here, Hiei..." Kurama breathed calmly, focusing his deeply faceted emerald eyes for the branch in his grasp. He cracked it this way and that, kneeding the seeds from its bowels. With a jerk of the hand, he retracted the needed seeds, a smiled a relieved smile. The fox slowly pressed the seed to Kuwabara's tainted wounds, the plant immediately taking root against one of the youth's half-exposed veins. With a sharp spark of Spirit Energy, Kurama having managed to build some up, the plant sprouted slightly. Roots dug forcefully to Kuwabara's wound, the plant slurping every trace of lethal poison from the teenager's system. Almost the instant the death plant began to wither under the influence of poison, Kuwabara jerked awake, a scream escaping him.  
  
"Kuwabara, calm down," Kurama snickered faintly, tearing the death plant from Kuwabara's gash. The teen breathed hard, the wound deep to his lungs.   
  
"Ah man..." Kuwabara weezed. "Where the hell am I...?" he scanned the room slowly, and caught sight of Yukina, unconscious and nestled against Kurama's side. The fox motioned for silence, and gently tucked his arms beneath her fragile little form, calmly lifting the mint-haired aperition and nestling her in Kuwabara's hold. The teenager stared down at his girlfriend in shock. "She's still unconscious?"  
  
"Obviously, you fool," Hiei seethed over his shoulder, hardly moving to face the boy. "Now all we need is to wake up the Detective and we can move onward."  
  
"Indeed," Kurama began work to another branch, setting it gently against the stone floor, quickly bashing his sharp knuckles against it, crushing the branch as needed.  
  
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~Botan skipped spryly ahead, giggling insanely. Her hands reached outward, and laced into those of Kurama. The fox smiled happily at the bluette, locking his brilliant emerald eyes to her bobbing candy ones. Botan tipped her head to the side perkily, leading the fox onward. Kurama chuckled faintly, to tune with Botan's giggles. Together they jogged through the meadow grasses towards the center, happiness looming about them. A deep rut suddenly caved downward in the field, though, and Botan slipped in, giggling hard. Her hand still strung to Kurama's, and she dragged a laughing fox down with her, both rolling in mad ways for the slope's end in the rut's bowl-like center.   
  
As the two eased to a stop, they flopped to their backs, and stared straight upwards into the endless void of crystal blue sky. Hours passed of jokes, cloud watching, and hearty laughter, until the crystal shade faded into a deep navy velvet. A brisk breeze swarmed by, and Kurama took this as a chance to nestle closer against the ferry girl. His warm, half-exposed arms brushed against hers, and the moment froze. Both their faces dusted crimson for an instant, each casting their eyes for the opposite direction. Kurama was the first to gather his nerves, though the slope of his nose burned red in a hard blush. The fox slowly breathed against her ear, and cooed a soft whisper, "May I kiss you, Botan?"  
  
The bluette pricked in surprise, and, flopping over on her side, locked her shocked raspberry eyes into Kurama's hopeful emerald ones. The duo froze, the slow, matched beating of their hearts growing steadily louder as the fox eased his way towards her face. Kurama slowly pressed his lips to hers, and breathed faintly into her lungs. Warmth threaded the kiss tighter. Botan was lost of words and expressions, but simply allowed the fox to continue.~  
  
Botan jerked awake, a throbbing pain stinging at her forehead. The gruesomely large bruise still painted across one side of her head, and still struck a hard pain to her, still causing a sharp wince to knarl her features. She scanned the area...she was still locked in a rusted pair of shackles, 'It was a dream...' she thought softly to herself, pricking slightly at the thought. Redness stained her cheeks as she thought back to the plot of the dream...  
  
'Ever since the fire-escape incident, I've been having trouble concentrating on anything besides...Kurama...' again, a blush swarmed to her face. 'I mean, I did sorta have a little bit of a crush on him...a little one...but, now...' the bluette tucked a sapphire lock behind her ear, contemplating on the situation. 'am I...no...no I can't be...I can't be, in love...can...can I?'  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Kurama shifted in a heavy sigh, his thoughts hazing from his current work with Yusuke's recovery...to his mother back on earth, and how she doesn't know where he is...to his demon father, the wolf without an official name...to Botan.  
  
Kurama pricked, scarlet hazing the slope of his nose. Without thinking, he began to wander aimlessly into his thoughts...of Botan...and him...alone...in a field...and the fox saw himself pressing his lips to hers under the spanning night sky...  
  
Kurama slowly began to wish solely for that, for...her. Until of course, Hiei gruffly scoffed at him, jerking his senses back to reality, and back to treating Yusuke.  
  
"Hiei," the fox side-glanced for the fire demon. Hiei blinked narrow crimson eyes for Kurama in response. "could you blast a fire attack to these crushed roots?" Kurama half-smirked tiredly. Without hesitation Hiei calmly shot a green flame for Kurama's concoction, the fox slowly blowing the flicker to nothingness after a moment and pressing nimble fingers against the ashes. The fox slowly scooped the black soot into his grasp and poured it loosely into the Detective's gaped mouth.  
  
"What will this do?" Keiko blinked to her side to glance for Kurama. The fox kneeded his hands together when every fragment of ash possible had swarmed into Yusuke's system.   
  
"Uh, yeah that doesn't look all that healthy..." Kuwabara blinked at Kurama's methods. The teen still cradled the unconscious Yukina in his grasp, rocking her slightly to wake her up.   
  
"That will absorb every possible fleck of poison in his system, and block it from affecting him...it works in seconds...he should wake up...now."  
  
Yusuke hacked hard in the core of his throat, a stinging pain dry and sharp in his esophogas. "Damn..." he seethed lowly, his tone parched from the ash logged in his throat.   
  
"Yusuke!" Keiko chirped. Kurama smiled faintly and stood to leave the two to a corner, the fox stalking heavily towards the opposite wall and sliding to a lazy sit. Blood still seeped from the wound in his front.  
  
"Kitsune..." Hiei grunted with a side-glance for Kurama.  
  
"I'm fine," the fox forced a pained smile. Hiei, though not convinced in the slightest, shifted in a heavy sigh and focused again on keeping guard.   
  
"Hey Keiko!" Yusuke chuckled as the girl locked arms about his neck. Yusuke slowly threaded his left arm--the right still being limp--about her back, and dragged her into his lap, cradling his chin into her collarbone. And there they sat for a few minutes, hugging. Kurama smiled faintly at the two for a moment, slowly casting his gaze for the unconscious mint-haired aperition.  
  
"Hmm..." Kurama examined the limp Yukina in Kuwabara's arms. After a moment of quiet contemplation, he breathed a soft "Ah...I know..." through a tired smile. The fox slowly combed his sprawled palm through his bushy mane, retracting a single, full-bloom crimson rose. "Kuwabara," he called softly towards the teen nestled on the opposite side of the hall-like cavern. Kuwabara pricked up to the sound of his name, Kurama, face plastered with a tired smile, tossing the boy his rose. Kuwabara caught it awkwardly, unsure of how to react.  
  
"Uh...thanks, Kurama...?" Kuwabara studied the flower with a confused glare about his face. "What is it, uh, for...?"  
  
"You idiot..." Hiei side-glanced the boy over his shoulder. "It's to wake up Yukina."  
  
"Oh!" Kuwabara chuckled awkwardly, waving the flower just an inch from the demonness's nose. After a moment, her nose began to wrinkle slightly, and her blood eyes pealed open slowly.  
  
"Ka...Kazuma?" she whispered slowly, until the scent of the beautiful rose swelled in her lungs. "Oh!" she pricked awake, a light smile about her little face. "A rose!"  
  
"Heh, actually," Kuwabara grinned broadly. "It's, uh, it's Kurama's rose...and he uh, kinda needs it for his Rose Whip..."  
  
"Oh..." Yukina's smile dimmed slightly, but it didn't disappear.  
  
"No problem, Yukina...you may keep it," Kurama smiled faintly. "I can't very well go about depending on only one rose for my defense, now can I? I've one or two others."  
  
"Oh, thank you, Kurama," she grinned happily to the fox and back to Kuwabara. Kurama smiled faintly as the boy tucked the rose into one of her bushy mint spikes of hair.   
  
"You're welcome."  
  
"Kitsune," Hiei, still back faced to the group and staring on ahead for the cavern not yet passed, side-glanced to the fox. "Since all of the party is conscious now, should we not be continuing? I mean, after all, the next fight is most likely yours..."   
  
Silence hazed the group. Yusuke and Keiko, still hugging as they were, blinked to face Kurama, as did Kuwabara and Yukina. Kurama was focused solely to the unexplored cavern of the Kyorgin Caves, a stern glare about his tired face. Without a single word to escape his lips, the fox forced himself to a stand, a little wobbly at first, but still leveled. Kurama slowly began a trudge into the darkness ahead, not a glance to his comrades, but simply a slow stalking deeper into the bowels of Mount Shiverku.  
  
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"Ryooki," the wolf demon approached the last demon on his payroll.   
  
"Yes sir?" Ryooki bowed low, glancing sharp eyes for the demon before him.  
  
"Go, defend the last of the caverns before my lair," the wolf ordered harshly. "And be sure to kill Suichi Minamino."  
  
"Yes sir..." Ryooki tipped his chin downward in a low bow. "...but..."  
  
"...but?"  
  
"but...is he not my brother?" Ryooki raised an eyebrow in question at the wolf.   
  
"No." the wolf answered coldly, not a speck of emotion to stain his tone.  
  
"Very well, Father..." Ryooki bowed yet again, coiling long, clawed fingers about his bow and arrows and stalking slowly from the wolf's lair.   
  
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Anemone: chapter 20, people! woohoo!  
  
Hiei: *slaps face* she's been celebrating since you guys left to read...  
  
Kurama: that was well done, Anemone.  
  
Hiei: hn...the chapter was okay...but your attitude-*hushed by Kurama, glares negatively*  
  
Anemone: whoa...deja vous...anywho, yeah, remember chapter one? the random thing that was waaaaaaaaaaaaay ahead of chapter two and onward? we're almost at that point in time! and just to make things more interesting, yes, Ryooki is the Kistune's older brother...but don't let chappie one fool you...I've many more tricks up my sleeve.  
  
Kurama: please review, we appreciate it very much so. 


	21. Ryooki, a Kitsune's Kin

Anemone: oo! Kurama's demon brother!  
  
  
  
Hiei: it would seem the Kitsune is in need of family counciling...his entire family hates him *snicker*  
  
Kurama: heh, yes...it would seem my demon family does hates me.  
  
Anemone: well, yes and no...I've got a young idea...it may come to pass later.  
  
Kurama: what?  
  
Anemone: not telling...say your line.  
  
Kurama: *sigh* alright...will you tell me as they read?  
  
Hiei: say the blasted line already...  
  
Kurama: alright, alright...calm down, Hiei. Chapter 21, enjoy.  
  
Anemone: there's a good fox-wolf hybrid demon. Now, onward!  
  
Hiei: *deep annoyed sigh, turns to the readers...sarcasm* run, escape while you can...  
  
Chapter 21: Ryooki, a Kitsune's Kin  
  
Hiei stalked silently behind the staggering Kurama, prepared to assist the fox if chance comes to pass that Kurama collapsed. The dragon was fully aware that Kurama had re-opened a deep wound at his stomach, but decided the steadfast Kitsune would pursue the mission without hesitation under the influence of pain. Gradually, Yusuke, Kuwabara, and the girls began a slow trudge after the fox, pushing onward towards the darkness spanning mercilessly ahead. Suddenly, a wave of coldness draped over Kuwabara in a silked layer that whipped away nearly instantly, the boy trembling insanely.  
  
"Huh?" Yusuke blinked for the quivering red-head. "What's wrong Kuwabara?" the girls turned to face the shivering boy. Kuwabara was still tainted with slight posion quantities in his bloodstream, the plant having been unable to absorb every bit...perhaps that was the cause of his current plight. Hiei and Kurama merely halted, not a glance thrown over their shoulders for Kuwabara, but awaiting a response.  
  
"You guys..." Kuwabara stuttered, craddling his arms firmly. "I had a feeling...about...about the next cavern..."  
  
"A feeling?" Yukina inquired softly. "What do you mean, Kazuma?"  
  
"The tickle feeling..." Kuwabara breathed hard, a look of confusion tainting Yukina and Keiko's features.   
  
"The tickle feeling?" Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "Don't you only get those wierd chills around ghosts?"  
  
"Not just ghosts, Urimeshi..." Kuwabara's eyes iced straight ahead, piercing into the darkness and staring with fear ahead. "...sometimes around REALLY strong demons..."  
  
"Your father, Kistune?" Hiei clucked his tongue to his teeth, eyeing Kurama. The fox pressed his emerald eyes shut, and sucked a deep inhale to swell his lungs. The scent he picked up was...it was...different, but, not too different, from that of his father. It smelled faintly of the wolf, but...it also had the blood of a fox.  
  
"No..." Kurama breathed softly. "It isn't my father...but, the scent is similar...and also...quite familiar..."  
  
"Well good!" a deep tone racked their senses, a voice foreign to Yusuke, Kuwabara, Hiei, Keiko, and Yukina...and yet, a voice that triggered instant Yoko memories within the crimson-maned Kistune. "At least you can tell the difference between pure-breds and mutts."  
  
"Ryooki..." Kurama stuttered faintly, staring deep into the darkness for the figure just ahead...the figure only Hiei and Kurama's eyes could see. Light swelled into the cavern, the hall-like cave rounding wide in opening. As gold flickered against the jagged walls from an instantaneous flame, there stood the demon...the next foe...and Kurama's demon brother.  
  
  
  
"It's nice to see you remember me, Yoko," Ryooki smirked. The group, let Kurama, was stunned at the resemblance. Emerald, an emerald to mirror those of Suichi Minamino, decked narrow eyes, eyes not unlike those of the infamous Yoko Kurama. His mane was thick and sleek, a glossed shade of blood red. His face was sharp, maniacal...evil. He and Kurama were blood brothers...Ryooki, the older of the two, having in his demon form possessed the traits of the fox, whereas Kurama, in demon form, had inherited the traits of the wolf. In truth, Ryooki was identical to Yoko Kurama, but the fur was red and the eyes were green. A stunning green that shot daggers in a glance. Though as similar as Ryooki looked to Yoko, it was scary how similar this same demon was to the human Kurama. Ryooki looked as if locked in the everlasting mindset of 18. A bushy mass of red curled to his leg...his fox tail.  
  
"Oh my, Yoko..." Ryooki chuckled faintly. "As a demon, you had always resembled a wolf, and not a fox...but now, as a human, you had taken on our fair mother Jiaanti's traits. And yet I, as a demon, resembled her at birth...interesting, is it not?"  
  
"Hn..." Hiei grunted softly, ready to draw his glossed blade. "Kurama...I'll take him, so you may fight your father..."  
  
"No!" Yusuke seethed lowly, Hiei pricking only slightly to side-glance over his shoulder. "Let me fight...the only reason Kurama's hurt is because he gave up his Spirit Energy to me..."  
  
Kurama pricked. 'He knows I am hurt as well? I assumed only Hiei had noticed...'  
  
"...I wanna make it up to you, Kurama, for lending me all your Spirit Energy...I still have some of my own...let ME fight," Yusuke stared narrow eyes for his fox friend, Kurama still standing with his back to the boy.  
  
"No." Kurama stated flatly, beginning a slow stride towards Ryooki. "No one shall fight Ryooki but me."  
  
"Don't be stupid!" Yusuke wailed. "You're supposed to be the smart one on the team! How can you even consider taking this on when you don't have any energy?!"  
  
"Enough, Detective," Hiei snarled threateningly. Yusuke pricked at the dragon's behavior. "Kurama is indeed the strategist of the group, none of us doubt that...and it is because of his cleverness that he decided upon taking this fight as his own...no one knows Ryooki's methods better than his own brother."  
  
"But..." Yusuke stuttered. "It's been 15 years since you became human, Kurama! 15 years at least since you last saw your brother! What makes you think he hasn't gotten new moves?!"  
  
"Just shows how much you know about Fox Demons, Detective," Hiei side-glanced the boy with a smug look about his calm expression. "Fox's never change their main tricks...they instead grow more sharp-witted as time passes and they age, allowing them to advance their tricks...but they never get new moves...they only tweak them to be helpful and cunning in battle...and since both our friend Kurama and his brother are half fox, this should be a tricky fight, seeing as they never changed their moves, and they should be able to read each other like a book."  
  
"All the more reason for me to go instead of him, Hiei!" Yusuke wailed. "He doesn't know my moves, I can beat him!"  
  
"Have wisdom, Detective," Hiei sighed heavily. "it may be that Kurama fighting is an advantage...because he knows Ryooki's strengths and weaknesses. However, sending you in with that limp gunning arm would have been pointless...not to mention extremely reckless and foolish on our part. Kurama is a ruthless fighter and I think he can stand up to the challenge of sibling rivalry."   
  
Yusuke could do no more than gaze angrily at the dragon...for Hiei was right...as always. With a heavy sigh, Yusuke bit the bullet and faced the battle...Kurama had already stepped up to the depths of the cavern.   
  
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"Jiaanti," the wolf half-snarled to his mate. "Our sons have met up with each other. Which do you think will win?"  
  
  
  
"How dare you allow our own children to duel like this!" the she-fox wailed in anger. "How can you even think to do this?!"   
  
"Because Kurama is no longer our son, my dear..." he smirked. "But Ryooki is...do you not wish to root for Ryooki?"  
  
"No! I shall not choose between my pups!" Jiaanti snarled, rushing away from her mate's cavern. Shadows hid her figure as she sped further and further into the depths of the Kyorgin Caves, her breaths sharp. In one lighting, her form was visible.  
  
Jiaanti was a marvel of looks. Her hair was a sleek-silk mane of blood and silver, each shade shimmering in massive ripples. Her ears crowned the top of her head, little fox ears each deep scarlet with a lick of white to the tip. Her eyes were narrow, each the faceted shade of emerald that decked Kurama's human countenance. Her face was slender and flawless, the picture of loveliness. Crimson lips tugged in a concerned, tired frown, and scarlet smears of eyebrows sagged in dread. About her slender figure was an Irish-Celtic gown of velvet, rich, deep green, leaving her shoulders bare and her hands covered, let her exposed fingers. She was flawless in every way, the definition of beauty. To top off her loveliness, was her bushy fox tail, deep scarlet and tipped with a lick of white. Jiaanti, mother of Kurama.  
  
"I must help Kurama...his father is mad."  
  
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Anemone: coolios!!  
  
Kurama: indeed, you put my mother in! Thank you, Mones.  
  
Hiei: well, I suppose I take back what I said before...your ENTIRE family doesn't hate you...just everyone but your mother.   
  
Kurama: *to Anemone* is that the idea you proposed earlier?  
  
Anemone: yup.  
  
Kurama: I like it.  
  
Hiei: your never critical of anyone, Red...Mones, is this the last family member? Please don't tell me your going to add his long-lost sister or anything...  
  
Anemone: oo! A sister...interesting idea, Flames...I might have to consider it...  
  
Hiei: gah?! No! I was saying don't do that!  
  
Anemone: lalalalala can't hear you lalalalala thinking about the new idea you gave me lalalalala...  
  
Hiei: ugh, dammit!  
  
Kurama: ahem...please review, readers. Thank you. 


	22. A Battle Between Brothers

Anemone: oops...  
  
Kurama: what is it, Anemone?  
  
Anemone: well, erm...I got this one review asking me 'didn't you say Kurama was the only pup to Jiaanti and her mate?' heh, well, I looked back into chapter 12, with Hinegeshi givin' all that info, and you were right, reviewer...lol I kinda forgot I had said that...lol sry...lol but hey, at least I know you're paying attention!  
  
Kurama: indeed...it's not that big of a mistake, though, Mones...you can still fix it.  
  
Anemone: how so? *Kurama whispers in her ear...Anemone beams* oo! I could do that...thanks, Fox.  
  
Kurama: it was nothing.  
  
Hiei: hn...may we get to the story, now?!  
  
Anemone: sheesh, ok ok...Fox?  
  
Kurama: chapter 22, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 22: A Battle Between Brothers  
  
"Wait a second..." Yusuke scratched his chin lightly as thought engulfed him.  
  
"Hn?" Hiei side-glanced for the Detective.  
  
"Didn't Hinegeshi say that Kurama was Jiaanti and the wolf's only pup?" Yusuke inquired faintly.  
  
"Of course her records would say that," Hiei grunted softly. "And I'm surprised you of all people would remember that somewhat useless piece of information..."  
  
Yusuke ignored that last little scoff jumping straight into a worthy question. "Then where'd this brother come from?!"  
  
"Allow me to explain so you may comprehend, Detective. Wolf demons keep to themselves...they hardly ever allow anyone to know of their existance...they hate the spotlight. Ryooki obviously hid himself well, if the Scribes of Demon Legends didn't even know he was alive. However, I suppose Kurama's father wasn't the slyest in hiding, if he was found out to be of the wolf breed and recorded...but, I suppose he was good enough at remaining inconspicuous for no one to be able to obtain his name, dammit..."  
  
"Then, why is Kurama so famous if wolves hate attention? Wouldn't he have TRIED to lay low, since he's a half-wolf?" Kuwabara inquired awkwardly, trying with difficulty to add two and two together.  
  
"You see, the differences in Fox and Wolf demons are evident," Hiei breathed calmly. "Foxes bask in attention...which is why Hinegeshi's records new the Kitsune's mother's name...because she is a fox. Wolves, as I said, hate fame...Ryooki obviously took on the wolf-like characteristics and allowed no one outside the Kyorgin Caves to know of him...and our friend the Kitsune is more like his mother...needing of attention. Well, that is, he WAS needing of attention, before he became human. Hn...I almost pity him for having such clashing parents."  
  
"Yeah...that's kind of difficult to go by..." Yusuke combed his sprawled fingers into his slicked mane. "I hardly get it..." he muttered faintly to himself.  
  
"Ryooki...how is mother?" Kurama smiled softly at his older brother.  
  
"Why do you ask, Yoko?" Ryooki returned the warm expression of greeting.  
  
"Well, I haven't seen her in over fifteen human years...I wish to know if she is doing alright...I don't remember her very well," the Kitsune chuckled faintly, tapping a gnarled fist lightly against his head. "Living as a human has deprived me of many memories before my birth as Suichi Minamino."  
  
"I see," Ryooki pulsed in a faint chuckle. "Well little brother, mother isn't quite well," his smile dimmed instantly into a grave expression, as did Kurama's. "Father abuses her...even more so than before you were reincarnated."  
  
"What?!" Kurama gaped. "And you let him? I may not remember much, Ryooki, but if I do happen to remember correctly you never allowed father to abuse her at all! Did you not always attempt to fight him off if such madness overwhelmed him?"  
  
"I know...I did, and half the time I'd win...but if I could now, Yoko, I would have still stopped him," Ryooki's face fell with grief and regret.  
  
"Why can you not?" Kurama inquired faintly.  
  
"Because, Yoko," Ryooki's expression faded of it's welcoming gleam as he slowly sprawled his open palm wide, combing deep into his mane. Slowly, as scarlet locks were brushed aside, Kurama could make out the sight of a metallic, spider-shaped pin stabbed into a throbbing bruise on his scalp.  
  
"Ryooki!" Kurama exclaimed, immediately knowing what the object was. It was a chemically magic pin only developed among demons...it pulsed a liquid straight to the brain that forced it's wearer to endure whatever the creator of that particular pin pressured to them. Ryooki, Kurama knew, was an innocent, kind-hearted soul who defended his mother with his life against his abusive father. Ryooki was now their father's puppet, to watch with sorrowful eyes and a weighed heart as he had to stand at the sidelines when Jiaanti was abused. Not only that, but he had free will in his personal opinion, knowing what he did was wrong, but his limbs continued the demands issued by the wolf, despite how he felt. Ryooki was broken under an evil device.   
  
"Father controls me with it." Ryooki's head bowed solemnly. "I would have slain him the instant he touched mother, had he not managed to have Syaaka and Kruntag hold me down and fasten it to my head...I've tried removing it, but it stabs at my brain with deadly pulses at each touch, and burns my weaponry if I try to scratch it off. Father forces me into battle and he forces me watch mother beaten down..." tears began to swell and sting at his stark green eyes. "She can't defend herself! And the others don't help her...Yoko, you must defeat me and stop him...he is a mad-man!"  
  
"But...Ryooki..."  
  
"Brother...I may fight you hard, and I may attempt your death," a slow, soft smile curved to his saddened face. "but I swear, Kurama...had I not been forced under his control, neither you nor Hiei would have had anything to fear at this point."  
  
Hiei pricked at the sound of his name. 'This demon knows of my history with the wolf?'  
  
"Shall we begin?" Ryooki asked faintly, coiling his fingers tightly about his first arrow.  
  
"I suppose," Kurama responded by retracting his trademark rose from his bushy mane.   
  
"I'm sorry, Kurama. I don't want to fight my little brother," Ryooki's eyes traced the floor in a grieved bow. "Please know that."  
  
"I do, Ryooki. And I too am sorry."  
  
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"Hmm..." Botan examined her shackles closely. The ferry girl was caught in a huff...a cuff of rusted copper snaked her neck as a collar...it was degrading and she would not stand for it!  
  
"Stupid wolf..." she sneered negatively. Suddenly, she burst in over-exaggerated moans. "Why won't anyone come and save me?!"  
  
"Hmpf...ignorant girl," the wolf snorted from his veil of shadows, Botan immediately jerking into a deathly silence as fear swarmed within her.  
  
"W-what do you mean?" she snuffed loudly and rudely, supressing her obvious fear. "How dare you! I am hardly ignor-"  
  
"Shut up!" the wolf breathed a sharp snarl between the very slight gaps of his clenched pearl fangs. Botan sweatdropped, half-wincing faintly to herself, shrinking back against the wall with stunned raspberry eyes locked on him. The slope of her nose singed red as she strained to hide back her fear, framing it under a layer of a stubborn look of annoyance to the irritated wolf. Seeing her reaction, and with the fact that the wolf was actually in a somewhat good mood, having not abused a woman all day, he heaved in a weighed sigh, and lowered the volume of his venomous tone. "I mean, your rescuer is on his way...so stop bitching that no one is trying."  
  
"W...who? Who is on his way?" she stuttered in disbelief.  
  
"Kurama."  
  
"Kurama?!" the bluette was stunned...Kurama?!  
  
"Yes, you irritating little plight...indeed that boy has bad taste in women...just shut up before I kill you, giving that humanoid kitsune no purpose in my lair..." the wolf sauntered off into the darkness again, leaving behind a shocked Botan. Her candy eyes followed after his retreating form, shock clouding her senses. Kurama...of all people she would suspect to come to her rescue...Kurama was the last person she thought would do so.   
  
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"HYA!" Kurama bellowed lowly as his rose cracked from it's tiny, delicate form, instantly shooting to three-yards length. A lash of his whip, and the spiked vine coiled tightly about Ryooki's first arrow, which was on it's way to the red-head's heart. He slashed his whip yet again, the force cracking the arrow in two and trusting it viciously for the side. Kurama was still lacking somewhat in Spirit Energy, having surrendered at the time all of it to Yusuke...but it was gradually returning...in the meantime, the fox would focus more upon his humanoid agility and speed.   
  
"Kurama seems to know what he is doing, Detective," Hiei smirked slightly. 'Despite his horrid wounds at his chest,' the flame demon thought faintly. 'wounds that could prove lethal without proper care, Kitsune continues to perservere...indeed, I do hope that irritating ferry girl is worth Kurama putting his health on hold.'  
  
Suddenly, as Kurama had leapt in the air for another attack of his deadly whip, from the darkness of the cavern, Kurama's sharp eyes just barely missed the sight of another arrow. "I'm sorry, Yoko!" Ryooki called as the weapon pierced the air for the Kitsune's heart. Kurama whipped around in midair, a glare of frustration and surprise swarmed into one distorted expression. The arrow's tip stung into his flesh, tearing viciously into the muscle of his chest. The skin was pierced through, a deep, tense hole forming on impact with the weapon...the fox's blood almost instantly stained into the fibers of the wooden arrow.  
  
"Kurama!" Keiko and Yukina wailed in shocked unison, the demonness stuttering back tears as the Kitsune's blood swam like a long, silk sash into the air on impact with the arrow. Yusuke was in a torrent of anger at himself and caught in total awe at the situation. "No, Kurama! Don't!" Yusuke coughed a chaffed voice drowned in shock. "DYING IS STUPID!"   
  
  
  
Kuwabara gaped at the horrific sight of the wounded fox. "Oh my God..." he could only manage a stutter at the view of Kurama's falling form, an arrow dug viciously into his flesh. The punk was unable to say any more...he wanted to reassure everyone that Kurama would be okay, because he always was...Kurama was probably the strongest and most feared of the group...Kuwabara wasn't sure though if even Kurama could survive an attack straight to the heart...he may be a demon spirit, but he WAS afterall, only in a human body...and human bodies are fragile. Kuwabara could only watch on, his voice having abandoned him to his doubts and hopes.   
  
Hiei locked sharp crimson eyes on the scene, the glare of the little Koorime being that of terror. Hiei was fully aware the Kurama had the best chance to the wolf...that Kurama would have been the only one to survive if anyone was to come back alive...but if Kurama died now...not only would the remainder of the Urimeshi team be hopeless...but Hiei's best friend would be dead. "Kitsune!"   
  
Kurama's expression lacked all emotion besides pure shock...he seemed to express no pain whatsoever, let the slight "pah" noise that slipped from his gaped lips the instant of contact with the weapon. Ryooki had actually caught him off guard. His brilliant eyes flashed wide in stunned awe...'Ryooki has gotten stronger...I may actually pose no threat to the wolf if Ryooki is able to defeat me...I must win...I must beat my brother...I must save Botan.'  
  
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Anemone: another chapter completed.  
  
Kurama: it would seem you made a friendly relationship between myself and my brother...ineteresting angle, Mones.  
  
Anemone: yeah...I kinda figured it'd be boring if ALL the evil demons were willingly on the dad's side...and I thought a friendly coversation would kind of be something you'd do.  
  
Kurama: heh, okay...*turns away to rethink that...mutter, deep though* would I do something like that with an enemy...?  
  
Hiei: this is shaping up to be a half-decent battle, Mones...  
  
Anemone: thank you...? *mumble* only half-decent?!...  
  
Hiei: yeah...so do I get to fight again?  
  
Anemone: huh? Oh...uh...I, I really don't know...*Hiei half-glares* I guess I could give you another battle if you want...  
  
Kurama: continuing to prolong the plot? *slight snicker* Mones, I thought right after Ryooki was my father.  
  
Anemone: well...I ain't gonna spoil it...everyone will find out what's after Ryooki as soon as the battle is dealt with. Including you two...I know one of you might let it slip out and ruin it for everyone...  
  
Kurama: you lack much faith in me...that hurts, Mones...  
  
Anemone: oh calm down, it shouldn't be much longer...say your line, Flames.  
  
Hiei: *sigh* do I have to?!  
  
Anemone: yes! Fox has to say the whole "chapter ....enjoy" thing every chapter...now I'm giving you a line to say from now on.  
  
Hiei: I decline.  
  
Anemone: oh come on! Fox always has to tell the readers to review...the least you could do is take a line so it's more constant and so Fox doesn't have to do everything...  
  
Hiei: ugh...FINE...*heavy sigh, monotonous, annoyed tone* 'anywho, please review'...*more to himself* God I HATE the word 'anywho'...I don't think it's even a real friggen word...  
  
Anemone: yes...what he said BEFORE his little pity-party...latr! 


	23. A Desperate Situation

*Anemone's room, listening to Type O Negative's "I don't wanna be me"...Hiei's taking a nap on the tree limb outside, the window wide open...Kurama's playing chinese checkers against Anemone...Anemone notices readers first*  
  
Anemone: YAY! COMPANY!   
  
Hiei: *jerks awake and falls out of the tree...voice faint* AHHHH!!!! *thump*  
  
Kurama: *rushing to window, leans out, his back turned to the readers* Hiei?! Are you okay?!  
  
Hiei: *voice faint, not in view...sounds pissed off* I am gonna get that little...!  
  
Anemone: *ignoring the boys* how are y'all? hmm let's take a look at how I left off...*re-reads last few paragraphs* oo! this chapter'll be a doozy...  
  
Kurama: *still leaning out the window* Hiei...? Where are you going...? *points in opposite direction* Anemone's front door is THAT way...  
  
Hiei: I want my friggen nap! I'm going to the park...  
  
  
  
Kurama: *leans back in the room, turns to Anemone* Hiei's going to the park to finish his nap...  
  
Anemone: okey dokey...he'll come back...eventually...  
  
Kurama: *glance to the window* indeed *more to himself* ...hopefully without his Katana...  
  
Anemone: what was that?  
  
Kurama: -nothing! Er...right, chapter 23-  
  
  
  
Anemone: I'm not done yet!  
  
Kurama: oh...sorry...indeed, continue then.  
  
Anemone: okay...now, in the last chappie, it would seem Kurama was beaten *gasp*! Well, we'll just have to fix that, now, won't we? Fox!  
  
Kurama: yes?  
  
Anemone: say your line, Fox, dear.  
  
Kurama: indeed...chapter 23, enjoy.  
  
(a/n: just so you can picture it...Kurama's wearing khaki pants, a light-teal button-up with the sleeves rolled up, and his usual shoes...shirt's tucked in, and besides the blood and sweat he looks pretty neat...Hiei, Kuwabara, Yusuke, Keiko and Yukina are wearing the usual.)  
  
Chapter 23: A Desperate Situation  
  
"Oh my God..." Yusuke stuttered after his blowout...Kurama collapsed to the cavern floor, his form jerking slightly on impact. Blood spurt in thick clots from the humanoid's gashed chest, heavy snarls of winces tightening Kurama's features. The instant the arrow had hit him, his rose slipped from his tender grip, and had collapsed to some far point of the cavern floor.   
  
Keiko pressed a step towards the wounded fox, when Kurama threw a vicious gaze behind him. "Stay back!" he growled for all the group to note. Keiko froze, shock tinting her worried face. "This is MY fight...no one may interfere..."  
  
Kurama then wailed a soft moan, a sharp wince taking over and distorting his expression. The arrow had forced deep into his chest, and with each pulse the arrow tip threatened to prick into his heart it was that far in. Curling his leg beneath his form, the fox forced himself to a wavering stand, glaring brilliantly emerald daggers at his older brother. He instantly gripped the lethal weapon, jerking it violently from his flesh...blood sprayed slightly from the forceful tug, staining deep into the fibers of his teal button-up. Not another wince tainted his face at the jerk, and the fox immediately cracked the wooden weapon in his gnarled grip, his knuckles whitened for a brief moment as the wood splintered to pieces to the cavern floor.   
  
"Nice try, Ryooki..." Kurama snarled in an uncharacteristically low tone. His voice was husked and deep in a seething anger. "...but, I am afraid that you didn't put enough energy into the shot...thusly, it caused the arrow to stop just before pricking into my heart...that wasn't as clear a shot as you thought."  
  
"Yes! Haha!" Yusuke cheered in massive relief. 'I had a feeling Kurama was too hard-core to fall that early in the fight!'  
  
"Hn," Hiei grunted as his lips tugged to a smirk. "Kitsune's almost too convincing." he then fazed himself into his thoughts. 'arrows...I see...this Ryooki character was the one to attack Botan and Keiko at the fire-escape...all those clues point straight to an archer's weaponry...hn...their father must have been far too lazy to do so themselves...but, Ryooki wasn't the one in the alleyway that I had managed to glimpse...perhaps the wolf went along to ensure the attack was well-done...and I suppose speed that surpasses mine must run in the family, if I couldn't catch Ryooki.'   
  
"Well, Yoko," Ryooki growled in response. He slowly bowed in stance, preparing for a shot. With his keen emerald eyes level with Kurama's, he allowed one passing second before releasing the quivering arrow. "It would seem I need to sharpen my gaze..." with that last breath, he let the smooth wooden piece of weaponry zip from his pinch and stab the air for the gap between Kurama's dagger eyes. The humanoid fox instantly grunted a low breath as he jerked for the side, the arrow whizzing past his temple.   
  
Kuwabara and the girls beamed at their friend's agility...but the Detective and the Dragon were hesitant to believe it was that simple to dodge.  
  
'Hn...' Hiei thought curiously to himself. 'that can't be the limit of Ryooki's archery...it's too simple to escape...Kurama must know something is wrong here.'  
  
Kurama indeed did know...he remembered well Ryooki's ability with arrows. 'I must listen carefully...let my hearing catch it's sound before it's-'  
  
His thoughts were cut short as he pricked in slight dread...the sound seemed to swell in his sensitive ears...he whipped around just in time for the arrow shot just before to zoomed past, engulfed in a flaming blue aura and grazing his temple. He was jerked back slightly, blood instantly breaking loose from the newest wound painted down the side of his forehead. A stinging sensation burned deep in the bowells of the new gash, Kurama losing balance for a moment. But the haziness was quick-passing, as the brilliant fox quickly regained himself with a negative glare about his face.   
  
'Dammit! I almost forgot about Ryooki's main attack...he can feed his arrows with Spirit Energy...and I can't defend myself, I lost my rose...it's somewhere in the darkness...hmm...if I attempt a rush at it, he'll no doubt catch me...oh!' Kurama scolded himself and his failing clutch upon his weapon. 'wait! I think I've one more...' before the fox could stroke his sprawled palm into his bushy mane, another attack of glowing arrows snapped into the darkness of the damp cavern, stinging for Kurama's flesh. The athletic fox, however, instantly kicked into a graceful flip, whirling in the air and avoiding every shot...until, Ryooki decided to aim a full dozen at once.  
  
The foe pulsed briefly as a spurt of Spirit Energy seeped into each arrow, each weapon glowing in it's own violently blue aura.   
  
"Oh shit..." Yusuke breathed faintly at the sight. Kurama growled slightly, his eyes keen with a glowing rage that stung deep within him.   
  
"Hell's Dozen!" Ryooki wailed. The shimmering arrows shot straight for Kurama, the fox standing firm.  
  
"Kurama! Move!" Kuwabara wailed at the frozen Kitsune, Kurama refusing to take a step aside as the dozen stung the air straight for lethal targets.  
  
'Wait for it...' Kurama ordered himself as the arrows zipped directly for his heart, burning in Spirit Energy. 'now!' his thoughts stung to himself. The fox kicked off in a high flip, his acrobatics assisting him very much so. His forceful jump led him to press against the ceiling, the fox jerking downwards head-first. He instantly tucked himself in a round manner, releasing his grip to his legs as he regained an upright position in the air.   
  
"Yeah!" Kuwabara cheered happily, Yukina and Keiko each releasing soft sighs as relieved beams graced their faces. "Way to go, Kurama!"  
  
But the fox was fully aware that wasn't the extent of the danger. 'Where are they?' he thought sternly, his expression proving his blatant doubt that was the end. Suddenly, the entire group pricked in fear at the sight. The arrows had snapped violently from their straight shots, stinging the air in unnatural directions. Kurama remembered this well, and whipped fiercely in his fall to the ground, his form jerking in strange positions to avoid the touch of each flaming weapon.  
  
Eleven dodged with the grace that only Kurama could possess, each of those eleven plowing into the cavern floor and crumbling into the rock on impact. The Spirit Energy soaked into each diminished as it was absorbed into the air. But while the others of the Urimeshi team seemed relieved and upbeat, only Hiei and Kurama remembered...a twelth arrow.   
  
"Kistune!" Hiei called faintly into the vast cavern, each of the group pricking at the fearful tone in his voice. Kurama managed to just cast his eyes over his shoulder, a scared glare staining them, as the last of the arrows stung against the darkness with an aura that vastly surpassed those of the others. Complete dread tinted his expression firm, as his skin was pierced through with a viciously burning arrow. A soft wail of sheer pain escaped his tattered form as the new arrow dug deep into his spine, blood spraying loose in unnaturally vivid ways. His expression lacked all but one emotion...pure pain. He had managed to hide it when that first arrow attacked, and had somehow remained conscious after that graze to the head, but now he couldn't contain himself any longer...pure agony singed in the deepest point of his deadly wounds, each of those three being lethal if he weren't careful.  
  
Kurama collapsed to the cavern floor, landing half-gracefully on hands and one knee, stuttering in wails of pain. Sweat beaded heavily at his temple, and slipped smoothly into the deep gash at the one side. The weapon's aura slowly dimmed as the pain seeped deep into the new wound, this one deadlier than the two before.  
  
'He's usually quicker than that...' Hiei thought faintly to himself. 'A lot quicker...losing all that Spirit Energy to the Detective must have dimmed his reflexes slightly...come on, Kistune! This would be one of those times to miraculously figure out a way around death!'   
  
Suddenly, Kurama shot a look of pure hatred before him...though it was pointed to the controlled Ryooki, Kurama really saw his wolf demon father. And what Hiei managed to catch in the sight of Kurama's eyes surprised and nearly scared him. They had for the briefest of miliseconds flashed golden, and dimmed back to stark emerald before anyone besides the dragon could detect. Hiei pricked at the view. 'My God...he's fighting with himself...' the flame demon blinked shocked crimson leers for the ruby strung about his friend's neck...it glowed in vicious facets of the purest scarlet, dimming and brightening with every strained pulse of Kurama's heart. 'he's trying not to transform into Yoko Kurama until his fight with his father...but, is that truly wise?'  
  
"Grapko...!" Kurama's voice seethed lowly, chaffed slightly from the force...almost the exact pitch to match that of...Yoko. Hiei then pricked in total fear, and an expression like no other that caught the complete attention of Yusuke.  
  
"Who's Grapko?" Yusuke asked faintly to the dragon. Hiei barely muttered the answer.   
  
"Grapko...he's the Kitsune's father..." the dragon responded softly, a wash of memories swarming over him again at the sound and taste of the name.   
  
"That's the wolf's name?" Kuwabara inquired softly. "...why did he call Ryooki that...?"  
  
"Because Kurama is lost in himself," Hiei answered with a blank expression of pure shock. "He's trying desperately not to allow that gem to change him into his Yoko form...not yet...but, the pain of both that arrow lodged in his back and the pain of trying to resist that ruby are dimming him of his sense...he's going insane."   
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: hey there! Yeah, this chappie's done...suspenseful, ain't it?   
  
Kurama: er...do I really have to go, insane, Mones?  
  
Anemone: yes.  
  
Kurama: but why?!  
  
Anemone: it keeps me in business putting stuff like that in! But don't worry...I think people would be mad if I made it permanent.  
  
Kurama: oh...so, I'm not going to go insane?  
  
Anemone: yes you are...  
  
Kurama: but-  
  
Anemone: -don't bother, Fox, I've made up my mind. Flames! *long pause* Flames...?  
  
Kurama: he's still at the park.  
  
Anemone: what?! It's been like two hours!  
  
Kurama: he takes long naps...  
  
Anemone: dammit...I need him to say his line...  
  
Kurama: ...why...?  
  
Anemone: because! I have to establish it as an official thing.  
  
Kurama: it's not a big deal, Mones...*turns to readers, about to say line* anywh- *gets tugged violently to the side by his collar by Anemone, a really funny expression of shock on his face*  
  
Anemone: no! You can't say it...  
  
Kurama: why not?!  
  
Anemone: it's Hiei's line!  
  
Kurama: *sigh, rubs eyes in annoyance...she's still clutching his collar* Mones...  
  
Anemone: to the park!   
  
Kurama: wait what-?! *gets jerked out the door by his collar*  
  
*on the way to the park*  
  
Kurama: can you let go of my collar...?  
  
Anemone: no! Keep moving...*jerks Kurama along*  
  
*at the park*  
  
Anemone: okay, Fox...sniff him out.  
  
  
  
Kurama: *groan* must I...?  
  
  
  
Anemone: yes!!  
  
  
  
Kurama: sheesh, okay, okay...*heavy sigh, deep breath* that way...  
  
Anemone: come on! *drags him by collar...walks to a tree, soft snoring heard from above...kicks tree*  
  
Hiei: *jerks awake, tree wobbling slightly* ahh!  
  
Anemone: Flames!  
  
Hiei: *groan* oh my God...  
  
Anemone: Flames dear, I need you to say your line!  
  
Hiei: what?!  
  
Anemone: say your line, dammit!  
  
Hiei: THAT'S why you woke me up?!  
  
Kurama: she dragged me down here by my COLLAR for that!  
  
Hiei: she's a friggen loon! We shouldn't hang out with her...  
  
Anemone: *kicking tree* SAY *kick* YOUR *kick* FRIGGEN *kick* LINE!  
  
Hiei: *wobble* NO! *wobble* NO! *wobble* NO!!  
  
Anemone: UGH! *continues kicking tree...Kurama slips from his shirt and sneaks towards the readers*  
  
Kurama: *whisper, shooing them away* go! Review! We can handle her...just run, while you still can!  
  
Hiei: KITSUNE! OH MY GOD HELP ME! *Kurama sneaks up behind Anemone, pinches her in a certain spot at the back of her neck, and she passes out*  
  
Kurama: *picking her up to carry home* okay, Hiei...all dealt with.  
  
Hiei: thank GOD...she nearly knocked over the tree, Kistune!  
  
Kurama: right...I suggest you go into hiding for a few days...*starts walking away* bye Hiei. *turns to readers* remember to review. Farewell. 


	24. An Internal Struggle

Anemone: sorry the last chapter was sooo short! lol it seemed longer as I wrote it...lol a lot of big words haha...Skippin' ahead today...Fox?  
  
Kurama: Chapter 24, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 24: An Internal Struggle  
  
Kurama roared softly, pain stinging at all angles about his torn body.  
  
"My God..." Keiko stuttered softly.  
  
"He can't be going insane!" Yusuke snarled at the stunned dragon. "He can't be!"  
  
"Look closely, Detective," Hiei ordered sternly, Yusuke, and the others, doing so. At first glance, it seemed Kurama was just trying to hold back a temper tantrum...but, as the sight lengthened, each of the Urimeshi team, let Hiei, pricked in shock.   
  
Between the strained gasps of air and the soft cooing wails, with each pulse of Kurama's heart his eyes stung golden, dimming almost instantly to their natural emerald.  
  
"Oh my God!" Kuwabara and Yusuke breathed in unison.  
  
"He is fighting against himself," Hiei explained flatly, his expression that of surprise at Kurama's will to remain as Suichi Minamino. "Half of Kurama is blinded by the immense pain of his arrow wounds and the temptation to revert to a powerful state...this part of him is trying to convince him entirely that this is indeed the most dire of situations, and that his opponet is not Ryooki but his father, Grapko, and that this is the time to transform into Yoko. And the other half of him still has his wits about him...this part of him knows that he can't change yet, that he must remain as is for the time being."  
  
"How can he be fighting with himself?! I mean, this is Kurama! The calmest person to ever walk the friggen planet!" Kuwabara seethed in response. "He is the last person in the world to ever go nuts!"  
  
Keiko stepped closer to Yusuke, the Detective instantly coiling his good arm about her shoulders in reassurance as both locked their wide gazes for the wailing fox. Yukina stuttered in horror, whimpering in fear.   
  
"Indeed," Hiei snarled to the red-headed punk. "You do not understand, you fool...Kurama is beyond solace at times, I do not deny this...but, when one has a split personality, at times it can be hard to maintain them both and remain mentally stable...Kitsune is on the cusp between sanity and insanity, the back of his mind that hides his Yoko past trying to seep through to the surface, and his Suichi Minamino self struggling to keep the demon within him at bay." Hiei cast narrow, stern eyes for the numb-minded Kuwabara. "If you were a demon with two personalities, I doubt you'd be anywhere near the same league as Kurama when it comes to maintaining sanity...it is remarkable in itself that he can even stay calm all the time...cut him a break with this situation...it is true that his Yoko form has never before threatened to take over...but with that gem and with all that pain he must be feeling at the moment, can you not try to understand his lapses in coherence?!"   
  
Silence laced the group, Hiei glaring blood daggers to his companions. "None of you could understand inner torment like that." his eyes graced before him to the sight of the troubled Kistune, his tone soft and his eyes faceting to a distant memory. "Not a one of you."  
  
Kurama snarled hard breaths...the only thing that separated the wound in his chest and the gash at his back was his heart, each pulse stinging mad stabs of pain in front and back. The fox could only force one eye open his winces were so tight and sharp. With every strained beat of his heart his eyes stung golden, fading quickly back into the trademark emerald. "No..." he scolded himself sharply, sweat breaking loose from his temple as he jerked his face aside. "That's not Grapko..."  
  
His eyes stung golden. "Yes it is..." his Yoko voice escaped his brief smirk.   
  
"What the-?!" Yusuke and Kuwabara gaped in shocked unison...Keiko stuttered sharp breaths of disbelief...Yukina fainted in Kuwabara's arms...even Hiei was shocked at how violently thin the line was between Yoko and Suichi at this point.   
  
Ryooki stared in awe at the tormented Kurama, not daring to attack while his brother was down...despite being controlled with that device to his head, Ryooki was refraining from any and all offense to his little brother...for now, anyway. "My God...it would seem he is schizophrenic."  
  
Kurama's narrow stares faded into green, his human voice stinging at his throat yet again. "No! It's my brother..." now the color changes didn't depend on the beat of his heart...but wavered between the two as his will to maintain Suichi Minamino began to falter. The gem strung about Kurama's neck singed with a glow like none other, burning a brilliant red as strain overwhelmed the struggling Kurama, who was trying in utter desperation to shun his demonic personality.   
  
Golden. "Do not fool yourself...now is the time to allow me to take over."  
  
Green. "Hardly!" Suichi countered viciously. "I must wait...I cannot let you overcome me!"  
  
Golden. "But I am you, Suichi." a smirk tainted the Kistune's lips.   
  
Green. The smirk instantly jerked to a tight, defensive grit of teeth. "Pah! You are nothing but my past self...I've a new life...a life that does not concern you."  
  
Golden. "This whole situation concerns me, Suichi...you are fighting MY family, remember?"  
  
Green. "So?! I still must remain as my human self! I can't let you come out...not yet, anyway..."  
  
Golden. "Why?" the demonic tone was greatly tempting the human Suichi. "Would it not be better to allow me to take over? This is the most dire of situations..."  
  
Green. "No it's not! It is NOT the most dire of situations! I am fighting Ryooki, not Grapko! When I do take on the wolf, then, and ONLY then, will you be allowed out!"  
  
Golden. "You've faltering control over me, Suichi...you're having trouble maintaining full reign of the body. Besides," the tone was a soft, smooth coo. "This is Grapko." Slowly, Kurama's form began a shivering pulse that jerked him up and down slightly, pain stinging at him all over. A deep moaning wail began to slip from within him, and shock like none other veiled the Urimeshi team...Kurama's trademark crimson mane was beginning to stain silver at the roots, slipping slyly for the ends.  
  
"My God!" Yusuke wailed in pure horror, instantly binding himself to the terrified Keiko in a firm, protective brace, focusing wide chocolate eyes for his tormented friend. "No! Kurama!"  
  
Kurama's eyes were clenched shut, pain singeing his cheeks and the slope of his nose pure scarlet. Sweat began to tear from his temples, some swarming viciously in the depths of his graze. His teeth were knit shut in a tight grit, pure agony pulsing through his system and burning into his scalp. Suddenly, he flashed his eyes wide, and in his Suichi voice, snarled a vicious "NO!"  
  
Instantly, a spurt of Spirit Energy, the kind that belonged to Suichi alone, sprayed from his scalp, his silver-slicked mane immediately flashing back to it's bushy mass of redness. His eyes stung from the controlling golden and faceted straight for the trademark emerald of the humaniod fox. A vicious snarl tainted Kurama's face as a roar swarmed in the depths of his chest. "NO, Yoko! You cannot take me over!" his human voice echoed in sharp tones in the wide, cool cavern...Suichi had won.   
  
"Yes!" Hiei smiled in relief. "He has fought his inner demons and he has come out victorious! Not only that," Hiei examined the strong Kurama with a positive expression of amazement about his face. "...but he has regained his Spirit Energy in that outburst of anger...he's even stronger than he was before we arrived at Mount Shiverku!"   
  
The entire team beamed in relief, let Yukina, who was still unconscious in Kuwabara's arms. "Yu-Yukina?" he breathed slowly, a slight bit of poison still stinging at the gash in his chest. "Yukina, it's all okay! Kurama's fine! He's still the red-head Kurama and everything! Yukina...?"   
  
Kurama glared emerald daggers before him. "I am fine now...just a brief lapse of insanity...courtesy of this," the fox coiled his nimble fingers about the scarlet surface of the smooth ruby about his neck. It's burning glow had dimmed since he regained control. Kurama eyed it curiously for a moment, a stern expression of his trademark calmness about his blood-stained face. The fox slowly shifted in a heavy sigh as he dragged the gem from his neck, and he cast his now solace stare for the side, catching Hiei's crimson glare.  
  
"Hold this for me Hiei? That way I shouldn't lose myself again," Kurama stated in his famously composed tone, not waiting for an answer as he flicked the ruby in a lashing toss for the dragon, Hiei jerking his hand up for the catch with a calm expression about his features. The gem stabbed into his palm from the forceful toss, the dragon instantly bracing it in his clasp with tight fingers.  
  
"Will do, Kistune...that would probably be best..." Hiei slowly dimmed his voice as he cast his soft stare for the unconscious Yukina. Kurama followed where his gaze led, and Kurama instantly understood as his emerald glare graced the sight of the delicate aperition's numb form. Hiei continued his sentence. "You gave us quite the scare with that little fight with yourself."  
  
Kurama responded with a soft, very Suichi type of smile. "I greatly apologize...that blasted jewel robbed me of my better judgement."  
  
"Obviously."  
  
"Indeed...now I've a battle to continue," Kurama flashed a smirk of pure calmness for the entire gang...Yusuke and Keiko slowly eased apart in relief as the fox bowed in stance. "Alright Ryooki...I'm ready."  
  
"Good," Ryooki smiled faintly to the humaniod fox. "I must say...that little conversation with yourself reminded me of father."  
  
"Ha!" Kurama smirked. "So you say lunacy is hereditary?"  
  
"I think you've proven it," Ryooko twinged an eyebrow as a smirk of his own tugged at his features, the demon gracing his arm to the arrow-sling about his back, dragging four from the little casing.   
  
"Well, I severely doubt Grapko has a gem about his neck that can bring out your most powerful state, causing hysteria as you try to keep that particular state at bay until it is truly necessary," Kurama countered slyly.   
  
"Oh, touche, little brother," Ryooki pinched the four arrows to his bow. "Touche," he allowed the weapons to slip from his grasp as he pinched Spirit Energy into each, the four stabbing the air straight for Kurama. The sly Kistune crouched low, pushing off for a leap into the air. Kurama whirled in graced movements through the cool cavern, each arrow taking on a life of it's own. The fox jerked in various positions in the air, the four arrows stabbing for him and just missing.  
  
"Wh-huh?" Yukina gurgled softly as her delicate scarlet eyes peeled open. "Kazuma...?" she mumbled faintly, cradled in Kuwabara's arms.  
  
"Yukina!!" he beamed joyfully, threading her in a tight embrace. The mint-haired aperition smiled softly, until her memory caught up with her and she jerked away.   
  
"Kurama! Is he alright?" she inquired quickly, Kuwabara looking a little more than hurt.   
  
"See for yourself," Hiei's monotonous tone leaked into the silence of the group. Yukina jerked her scared gaze for the depths of the cavern, and to her immense relief she spotted the gentle red-headed Suichi. "As you can see, the human Kurama won against the demon Kurama."  
  
"Thank goodness," she sighed, nestling against Kuwabara's shoulder.   
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: hey there! Yeah, this chappie's a lot longer than the last one...I think...lol?  
  
Kurama: yes, it is.  
  
Anemone: Flames!  
  
Hiei: what?  
  
Anemone: say your line.  
  
Hiei: no.  
  
Anemone: do it!  
  
Hiei: *groan* FINE...go review...now.  
  
Anemone: that isn't your-  
  
Hiei: -go, review, now.  
  
Kurama: Mones, perhaps allowing him to say that would be best.  
  
Anemone: *sigh* FINE...latr readers. 


	25. The Final Moments

Anemone: heyhey! just trying to cook up chapter 25 for yas...while I finish, Fox and Flames are gonna keep you lovely readers entertained.  
  
Hiei: nani?!  
  
Kurama: er...what...?  
  
Anemone: sing them a song or something, you two...*resumes writing*  
  
Hiei: *casually turns to Kurama* well, we all know that you have a great singing voice, Kitsune...that, and I just don't sing for audiences.  
  
Kurama: nani?!  
  
Hiei: *shoves Kurama* sing, dammit!  
  
Kurama: *sweatdrop* er...uh...  
  
Hiei: come on, you can do it...*flops on Anemone's sofa*  
  
Anemone: oo! I know what song would entertain ME...  
  
Kurama: *suspicious glare* aren't you supposed to be writing...?  
  
Anemone: *long pause* ...sing Rag Doll by Aerosmith! (note: this is a veeeeeeeery sexual type of song...lol! poor Fox...)  
  
Kurama: *blush* nani?!  
  
Hiei: hahahaha...  
  
Kurama: *still blushing* must I?!  
  
Anemone and Hiei: YES  
  
Kurama: I reeeeeeeeeeeally don't want to...  
  
Hiei: you know, I did manage to gather up some phone numbers, Kitsune...  
  
Kurama: um...what?  
  
Hiei: ...as in, I can just call all your fan club members over...  
  
Kurama: *pales* my God you wouldn't!!   
  
Hiei: oh, but I would...my entertainment can't be compromised.  
  
Anemone: lol you're so evil, Flames...sing, Fox!  
  
Kurama: *gulp, looks around awkwardly, clears throat, swears under his breath* er...Rag Doll, livin' in a movie...*groan* Hot Tramp, Daddy's little Cutie...  
  
Hiei: *snicker*  
  
Kurama: *blushing, annoyed* I refuse to continue!  
  
Anemone: pa-leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez?! You simply gotta keep my readers occupied while I write!  
  
Kurama: you're not writing, Mones! You're watching me as I sing this perpostrously grotesque song!   
  
Anemone: you can't prove that!   
  
Hiei: *lazily raises hand* I can...*pulls out a video recorder thinger-ma-bober filming Anemone NOT writing*  
  
Anemone: shut up!  
  
Kurama: well no more! I find this song far too "slutty" for my taste (note: the author does like this song in reality...lol Kurama's opinion does not reflect that of Anemone)...you only wished for me to sing it because you KNEW I wouldn't like it!  
  
Anemone: *shifty eyes* er...no...I wasn't intending on that at all...  
  
Kurama: hmpf! I am excessively irritated with the two of you...*turns to readers* chapter 25! Enjoy, dammit!  
  
Hiei: *fake gasp, actually kind of proud that Kurama swore* Kurama! Language! *finger point thinger* Tisk tisk...  
  
Anemone: wait I'm not done!  
  
Hiei: haha, OH well...  
  
  
  
Chapter 25: The Final Moments  
  
"Gah!" Kurama snarled sharply as the four arrows grazed his flesh. Stinging sensations burrowed deep within the four new gashes, but the fox had been clever as to where he led the weapons. He had pinned himself to a jag in the wall, high in the damp darkness of air of the cavern. In doing so, and in moving just slightly as to only suffer mere slits to the upper arms and calves, the four arrows dug deep into the stone behind him, splintering on impact. Kurama smirked slyly at his brother, releasing his grip to jagged rock and landing gracefully to the ground, on hands and one knee.   
  
Kurama smirked hard, though exhaust was starting to get to him...he hadn't quite recovered fully after that fight with himself...it had taken some amount of concentration to focus his demon self to the back of his mind...though he had earned himself a decent amount of Spirit Energy at his outburst, he was still a little tired...not to mention it was kind of difficult to draw a decent breath without a stabbing pain in the chest when the only thing separating two wounds through your body is your very heart...yet despite that, and despite the fact that that one arrow was still lodged in his back, Kurama still possessed his delicate grace and animal-like reflexes...he could still win.  
  
Slowly he kicked himself to a firm stand, and pricked slightly. "Oh my..." he breathed in surprise at himself, throwing his brilliant emerald gaze over his shoulder. "That arrow is still there...?" he chuckled slightly in embarrassment, the slope of his nose singeing red as his features tugged in a soft grin. "Heh...my...I must have been too focused on surpressing Yoko and getting back to the battle that I forgot all about it..."  
  
"Indeed, little brother," Ryooki smirked faintly as his scarlet eyebrow pulled upwards at Kurama. "I was wondering how long it would take you to notice you had a weapon stabbed into your back..."  
  
"Yes...I suppose it was far too serious a situation to focus on such petty matters..."  
  
"Petty? Kurama, my archery is hardly, 'petty'..." Ryooki staged offense, Kurama snickering slightly in response.   
  
"Hn," Hiei smirked at the scene...despite the obvious factor that one brother had to die, both seemed hesitant to abandon their relationship. 'If only I had such a relationship with a sibling...' Hiei side-glanced his dagger leer into the depths of the group by his side...to Yukina. The mint-haired aperition was peering intently into the battle scene, despite her wavering will to remain conscious...but, as Hiei, she somewhat possessed a sense of stubbornness. Hiei chuckled faintly to himself. 'It's too late...she's known me to be the loner Hiei for far too long...confessing to be her half-brother at this point would be foolish...' his weighed eyes set stern to the battle yet again. 'I can never hope for such a type of bond with her as Kistune has with his family.'  
  
"Let's just get rid of this, then," Kurama smirked faintly, tucking his arm behind him and coiling his nimble fingers about the wood. With a slight tug, one that stung a wince to the faces of Yusuke, Keiko, Kuwabara, and Yukina, the arrow was jerked free, warm redness seeping into the fibers of his once-teal shirt and a few droplets ripping loose into the air from the forceful yank. Kurama was emotionless, but his eyes stung against the darkness of the cool cavern, flashing brilliantly under the intimidating shadow his scarlet bangs caused. With one grip of his wrist, his knuckles flashing white for an instant, the arrow splintered and he allowed it to fall to the floor. Blood seeped from his calves, a gash each, a slit at his left forearm, a tear at his right shoulder, the stab to his front, the stab to his back, an earlier wound at his stomach from before his meeting with Ryooki, and the slice to his temple. Kurama seemed tattered, and in all aspects he truly was, blood streaking down the crevices of his muscled arms, and sweat burning at his brow...but despite his current luck in the battle, he honestly stood with a threatening air about him...though his expression was the same as Suichi had always worn it, pure calmness, he couldn't have seemed more frightening. "Let's finish this, Ryooki."  
  
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"Pah-leeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez let me go?!" Botan whined cooingly to the highly irritated Grapko. She was still shakled, chains swarming the floor in heavy masses and rusted about her slender wrists. She had tried tugging at them several times to wrestle her wrists free, and had attempted to conjure up her oar as to swat Grapko a good one to the head...but neither had been successful...the tugging lead to the rust chaffing against her flesh and causing breaks in the flesh, scarlet streaking her arms in long runs. And summoning an oar was impossible...the chains blocked her ferrying abilities.   
  
"I said no, dammit! Don't you get it?! You're a friggen HOSTAGE, DAMMIT! I'm TRYING to LURE Kurama and Hiei down here to KILL THEM, DAMMIT! Now be a good hostage and SHUT UP, DAMMIT!" Grapko seethed in pure anger, Botan blinking offended eyes.   
  
"Well you didn't need to use so many swears in that explanation!" she scoffed haughtily. "And how do you KNOW they'll come down and rescue me, hmm?" she inquired slyly. Grapko eyed her for a good three minutes in pure silence.  
  
"I have a crystal ball that can see into the entire mountain!" he answered sarcastically, staged hand motions and all...he then twirled on his heel to stalk again to the shadows.   
  
"No need to get all cynical!" she gaped at his behavior. Despite her captivity she had somehow managed to maintain her very light-hearted, perky antics.   
  
"Oh my GOD...!" Grapko snarled, thrusting his face in inch from hers, Botan instantly pricking in surprise, but refusing to let go of her stubborn expression, her lips pinched and the slope of her nose singeing red. Her raspberry leers were framed with narrow eyebrows as she stared dead straight into purely threatening gold. "You know...my mate used to annoy me like this...that is, until I taught her WHO was in charge!" Botan half-squealed as his roar breathed hard against her headstrong expression. "I suppose preference for steadfast, irritating women runs in the family!" he scoffed sharply, with each dagger pitch inching closer. Botan instinctively blinked back with each motion he forced towards her. (a/n: in case you're confused, here's a review...yes, Jiaanti was second choice to Grapko...he really wanted the ice demonness that ended up being Hiei's mother...Grapko just said 'preference' because he chose Jiaanti as second best...he still kinda sorta preferred her, I guess, in a way, over other demonnesses, though he reeeeeally wanted the ice aperition chic over Jiaanti...okay no more interruptions, I pwomise...lol)   
  
"Kurama...Kurama doesn't have, 'feelings' for me..." Botan's though scarlet in a slight blush, forced a controlled, prim tone, huffing and casting her nose up in irritation away from the wolf.   
  
"I don't care!" Grapko wailed in utter frustration. "Either way, he's risking his ass to come and save you! But if he truly doesn't have feelings for you, then I don't understand why he'd bother risking his life to help you! Actually, even if he DID have feelings for you I wouldn't understand why he'd attempt your rescue..."  
  
"Hmpf!!" Botan grunted hard, her expression firm in pure stubbornness. Grapko growled low, the core of his throat vibrating slightly as his stinging golden eyes stabbing into Botan's pure candy stare. With that last gesture, the wolf snorted sharply at her, and his form melted into the darkness, Botan alone again in the black cavern.  
  
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Heavy breaths escaped the young fox demon as his legs began to break under him. Exhaust swarmed and stung his emerald eyes, sweat beading at his temple. Kurama quickly and without a blink of hesitation stroked his bloodied hand into the wild locks of his crimson hair, clasping a scarlet rose in his tight, quivering grip. 'Finally! I have the time!' he thought as he gazed briefly to his weapon. Arrows continued to sting against the air for the rushing Kistune, engulfed in miniature auras of Ryooki's energy, but the supply was running short, and Kurama could at last claim his own defense.  
  
  
  
"Rose Whip!" he wailed violently, having long past lost his all-around calm nature. This was a life-death situation, and he needed to win at all costs. With a short jerk of his hand, his fresh rose quickly melted into a long, spiked, emerald-shade whip, the scent of roses looming lazily about the fox demon, swelling his powerful, animal-like sense of smell.   
  
  
  
"Ha!!" he bellowed as the whip lashed the air, striking Ryooki down.   
  
  
  
Kurama had been stabbed a total of seven times, three of which could end as lethal if the fox didn't finish his brother off soon. His heart burned in pain from the wounds to it, but he stubbornly perservered against his older brother. From the sidelines Hiei, Yusuke, and Kuwabara watched silently at their companion's ruthlessness. Kuwabara guarded little Yukina defensively, watching in utter disbelief and gaping quiet breaths. Yet his throat still stung with every other inhale from his battle with Hitorihamet.   
  
  
  
Hiei stood firm enough beside the oaf, but listening to Kuwabara's silently strained gasps only reminded him of his own spar with Syaaka, and the brands she managed to force into his collarbone and arms.   
  
  
  
Yusuke watched with a glare of utter frustration at Kurama's every brief wince. He had offered to fight Ryooki, but he was still defenseless with his gunning arm limp after his brawl with Kruntag. 'Grr!' Yusuke growled to himself, glaring at his numb arm slumped at his side. 'Stupid Kruntag!' Keiko sensed Yusuke's anger towards his arm, and slowly laced his fingers into his left palm, eyeing him with a reassuring expression. Yusuke gazed at her for an instant, then jerked back to watch the battle.   
  
  
  
"Kurama!" Yusuke wailed as the fox demon was punched into the floor, falling limp against the crumbling rubble of his impact.   
  
  
  
"Kitsune, look out!" Hiei shouted harshly to his best friend as another punch of Ryooki's gnarled fist came tumbling downward for Kurama's face. The fox's emerald eyes flashed wide with an angry glaze smearing their shade, and with a quick flick of his wrist, Kurama's whip coiled about Ryooki's broad arm, blood staining the thorns of the lime-colored weapon, and Ryooki was yanked hard into the floor below. Kurama instantly dodged Ryooki's massive body with a graced flip through the air and a soft landing on hands and one knee.   
  
  
  
Ryooki lay limp against the massive chunks of rubble broken from his strike into the ground, and Kuwabara couldn't sense a dime's-worth of spirit energy from the creature's body.   
  
  
  
"Yes! You did it!" Yusuke cheered happily. Kuwabara examined Ryooki's form slowly...'aw man, if the brother is this strong, imagine how powerful Grapko is!'  
  
  
  
"Well," Kurama's calm tone escaped his tattered form in heavy sighs. "He's dead enough for us to continue." Kurama cast sad eyes for his once gentle older brother, his emerald glare faceting into one of anger at himself for slaying his own kin.   
  
  
  
"Obviously," Hiei smirked as his acute, scarlet eyes stung into the sight of the limp Ryooki.   
  
  
  
"Remind me, why we're still here, again..." Kuwabara breathed heavily against the gash on his chest, Kuwabara still guarding little Yukina.   
  
  
  
"Simple," Kurama coiled his arm around his stomach, blood leaking out heavily from a fresh wound and staining deep into the fibers of his sleeve. With a calm stare at the whip held loosely in his weakened grasp, Kurama's spirit energy tamed the weapon back into the form of a gentle, harmless rose, and it was stroked back into his loose, crimson mane. "To save Botan."   
  
  
  
"Yoko..." Ryooki's voice escaped his tattered, exhausted form. Everyone instantly pricked in fear, all but Kurama.  
  
  
  
"Gah! I thought you said he was dead!" Kuwabara stuttered, cradling Yukina in his tight embrace, the little ice aperition hiding her fragile face in the boy's shirt.   
  
  
  
"Yes, Ryooki?" Kurama smiled softly at his brother.  
  
  
  
"Thank you," was the response. Ryooki cast his narrow emerald eyes to the side, where a singeing piece of technology was crackling with zaps of escaping energy...it was the device that had been plugged against Ryooki's scalp.  
  
  
  
"Of course," Kurama grinned faintly...when he had said Ryooki was dead enough for the group to continue, he had merely meant the evil controlling him was destroyed at that the Ryooki sent to murder them was no more.   
  
  
  
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Anemone: hey there! Kurama isn't mad at us anymore for that whole singing thinger before *yay*...was that last part of the story a little familiar...? *hint hint*  
  
  
  
Kurama: it resembles the first chapter...  
  
  
  
Anemone: that's cuz it IS!...well, actually, it was a little bit modified...if you look back into the first chapter, you can see some obvious changes I made so it'd make more sense...for example, you readers already have a decent knowing about Ryooki, so I could drop the parts in this segment that describe him as "the new opponent" and stuff...if you look back you can see the changes I made.   
  
  
  
Hiei: go review.  
  
  
  
Anemone: *gasp* you remembered to say your line on your OWN?! Great job, Flames!  
  
  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
  
  
Anemone: later, readers! :-D 


	26. From the SheFox's Eyes

*Anemone's room...listening to Powerman 5000's "Action"...Hiei and Kurama are singing along, don't notice readers.*  
  
Hiei: the sky is fallin' it's a curious condition...  
  
Kurama: it ain't a falacy it ain't superstition...  
  
Hiei: you live your life like you're some kinda actor...  
  
Kurama: but the scenario you cannot manufacture...  
  
Hiei: ...we're gonna need some action...we're gonna need some action soon...  
  
Kurama: ...trapped in a world of ordinary madness...it's all the same, yeah, there's nuthin' new...  
  
Anemone: boys!  
  
Hiei: hn?  
  
Kurama: yes?  
  
Anemone: the readers are here...  
  
Kurama: oh...^_^' heh...  
  
Hiei: *blush, angry glare* hn...*pretends not to care, flops on couch* is the next chapter done yet, ningen?  
  
Anemone: almost, but we need only one thing...and only Fox can provide...Fox!  
  
Kurama: hmm?  
  
Anemone: it's line time, sweety.   
  
Kurama: chapter 26, enjoy.   
  
Chapter 26: From the She-Fox's Eyes  
  
"So that last attack was angled just so he'd hit his head at the right position to destroy the controlling device?" Hiei inquired softly for Kurama as the humanoid fox began a slow trudge from the cavern.   
  
"Exactly," Kurama's tone was purely lacking in all emotion. A tight wince snarled at his features, distorting his expression for a brief instant. He quickly laced his arm about his chest, spurts of redness staining to the bare flesh of his forearm. 'Oh my...I've suffered much blood loss...' he examined himself slightly, realizing just how many wounds he had.   
  
"Kurama?" Yukina's tiny voice piped softly from several yards behind.   
  
"Yes, Yukina?" Kurama slowly twisted on his heels to face the group standing behind him. Yusuke stood with his left hand intwined with Keiko's, Keiko appearing to be tired from her worry. Yukina was slowly being released from Kuwabara's firm hug and smoothly stepped towards the fox.   
  
"Maybe I should heal your wounds..." the mint-haired aperition suggested shyly as she walked forward. "You're very hurt."  
  
"Heh," Kurama managed to force his trademark Suichi grin, though a sprained wince tweaked it slightly. "I am fine Yukina..."  
  
"No you're not!" the fragile little demonness countered half-sharply, surprising all of the group.  
  
"Wow, Yukina..." Kuwabara stuttered faintly, slowly approaching his girlfriend from behind. "Calm down, sweety..."  
  
"Kurama can't fight Grapko in his condition!" Yukina threw a half-narrow, yet stern glare over her shoulder. She instantly whirled back to face Kurama, and ordered sternly, "Sit down and relax, Kurama! You have to be healed!"   
  
Kurama and Hiei stared at Yukina with wide eyes of emerald and ruby...shock had stunned them both into silence. Slowly the two managed to side-glance each other in confusion and awe at her new-found stubbornness. In the look the two exchanged, Hiei eyed the fox with a slow shrug accompanied with a grunt of 'I dunno', and Kurama shifted in a weighed, reluctant sigh, slowly slumping to an Indian style sit to the ground. "Very well, Yukina."   
  
The mint-haired demonness grinned in her success, calmly setting herself to her knees by his side.   
  
"How come she didn't offer...excuse me...DEMAND, to heal any of us...?" Yusuke whispered faintly to Kuwabara...  
  
"Yusuke!" Keiko puffed at the insensitive boy.  
  
"What?!" he eyed her in confusion and defense...Kuwabara, though, seemed somewhat hurt that his girlfriend didn't even suggest healing them...of course, now that he thought about it, he realized that Yusuke hadn't been that hurt, but there was a curse implanted into his arm that Yukina's powers wouldn't overcome...and, she didn't even see Kuwabara's fight...she was unconscious...not to mention that she DID offer to help Hiei after his acid demonness battle, but he shrugged the offer off...as these excuses came to mind, Kuwabara slowly became more and more understanding, until he randomly wailed a soft "Yes!"  
  
"What's your problem?" Yusuke eyed him strangely. Kuwabara chuckled happily as he turned to face the Detective.  
  
"Cuz, stupid...!" Kuwabara grinned broadly, slowly fading to a romantic behavior. "...she simply didn't know of our plight..." Yusuke inched away in awkward fear, slowly stepping to guard Keiko from the weirdo. Suddenly, Kuwabara's expression flashed to pure defense and rage. "...and DON'T go about acting all mean about it! Poor little Yukina is simply trying to assist one in need!"  
  
"Jeez, Kuwabara calm down," Yusuke wrinkled his nose at the red-head's freakish antics.  
  
"I mean it, Urimeshi!" Kuwabara quickly knotted his fists to Yusuke's shirt, jerking the stunned boy an inch from the ground. "Don't go pissin' me off by dissin' my girl!"  
  
"I wasn't dissing her-"  
  
"-stop lying, you idiot!"  
  
"Stop talking, both of you," Hiei seethed sharply, jerking the boys to attention. "You two morons are giving me a migraine..."   
  
Kurama smiled faintly at the boys with a look of 'as usual' at their behavior as Yukina's gentle energy surged within him, slowly stitching the fibers of his skin together over the broad slices and closing each wound. Blood still soaked deep into his shirt and pants, but the blood currently slipping from each gash was slowly being sucked back into it's escape route. And finally, after each little slit was sewn back together, Yukina began work to the wound at his chest and the stab in his back. Sharp winces stole to Kurama's face as her energy touched to the fresh injuries, but as his torn muscle began to intertwine together again, and his ripped flesh began to knot back into place, the pain that smoldered his half-exposed heart soon eased into nothingness. As Yukina slipped away from Kurama's side, his every injury re-sealed, the fox half-greedily sucked in the first deep breath he could grasp since before that first arrow to the heart. A relieved sigh escaped his swelled lungs, bliss tainting his features. "Ahh," he breathed happily, pressing his eyes shut. "the first decent breath in ages..." his eyes slowly pealed open, faceted with brilliance. "Thank you, Yukina."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
The she-fox rushed from cavern to cavern, heavy breaths swelling her lungs with every step she sprinted. "I must find Kurama..." she stuttered quietly. "I must find him...!" she pursued further along, rushing in and out of shadows as to avoid any of her mate's henchmen. "This blasted mountain is far too large! How am I to find him?!" she cursed herself, and slowly calmed her frazzled senses. With a deep, low inhale, the she-fox almost instantly caught his scent. "Blood! Kurama's blood!" she whimpered in fear at the immediate realization. "My God, no!"  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Let us go, then," Kurama motioned for his company, the fox slowly staggering to a stand. "But first..." the fox's tone was soft and faint as he pursued through the wall of peers and towards Ryooki's limp form. Kurama gazed down at his brother for a brief moment, and crouched to the demon's side. Ryooki was sprawled against the rubble and debris, his body hardly in a comfortable position. Kurama slowly laced an arm beneath his brother's tattered figure, dragging Ryooki from his wedged spot to the crumbled ground. Ryooki, being a good foot taller than his human brother, was rather difficult to move, but Kurama did so without a blink of emotion to his tired, calm expression. The Kitsune slowly lay Ryooki to the canter of the cavern floor, a smooth surface of ground. With great care, Kurama made sure not to position him to bring pressure to his wounds. When Kurama was content with the way Ryooki was set, he briskly turned to go, not a motion to the others.  
  
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"Please, no! Don't let Kurama be dead!" Jiaanti sprinted through the linking caverns of the bowells of Mount Shiverku. "He can't be! My Lord, he can't be!"   
  
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"Kitsune," Hiei grunted softly into the piercing silence that had for so long since leaving Ryooki cursed the team. "Do you sense any more henchmen to get in out way...?"  
  
"Not a one, Hiei..." Kurama responded faintly, not a glance to his side where the Koorime stalked along. "I imagine we killed them all."  
  
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Jiaanti pushed harder and harder along as her fragile steps began to waver beneath her. "I'm so close...his scent is getting stronger! Hold on Kurama...don't be dead!" Hidden among the shadows moved the slick figure of another demon...an enemy to Jiaanti, stalking after her in the caverns.   
  
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"Hm?" Hiei pricked slightly, his Jagon having swelled briefly in a pained sense.   
  
"What is it, Hiei?" Kurama halted in his stride, blinking a calm gaze to his side at the frozen flame demon. Yusuke stepped up to Hiei's side, the shorter of the two ignoring him and the others completely.   
  
"Kistune..." Hiei breathed slowly, having been able to determine the demon instantly. "...do you smell someone familiar to you...?" Hiei remained unmoving, let his gaze shifting to face Kurama at a side glance and his eyebrow tugging upward.  
  
Kurama breathed a soft murmur of confusion before pressing his eyes shut and swelling his lungs with a deep inhale. A light scent swarmed within him, a scent with a distinct blood to it...it was similar to Ryooki, but, different, too...it lacked the blood of the wolf...it was all fox. "Mother!" Kurama's eyes flashed wide in surprise, kicking off into a bolt further into Mount Shiverku, Hiei's speed in sync with the fox's and the remainder of the group dashing after them.  
  
"Is this about Botan...?" Yukina asked meekly, having haven't heard the fox's breath of a cry,   
  
"I didn't hear him...did you two?" Yusuke turned to Kuwabara and Keiko in search for an answer as he jogged along.  
  
"I didn't either...and at the way Hiei was acting, I think he was the only one that did..." Keiko deduced quickly.  
  
"Yeah, Urimeshi..." Kuwabara huffed as he ran. "I guess we'll just hafta run after them to find out what the comotion's about..."  
  
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Jiaanti, now fully aware of her pursuer, was straining in desperation to escape from the new demon's clutch...he was a weakling, with no real power but engulfing his axes with energy and never missing his targets...though he was lowly in the midst of Grapko, he could easily be the delicate Jiaanti's assasin.   
  
The she-fox sprinted in pure desperation and fear further along into the caverns, trying not to look back. Fear and exhaust chaffed her throat parched, each step of her forced run a struggle to remain alive as her assasin moved in on her.   
  
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"She's in trouble!" Kurama explained desperately through his spry dash into the caverns.  
  
"Obviously...I can sense the beast pursuing her...he's a lot stronger than she, Kistune..." Hiei countered faintly as he continued to run in step with his humanoid companion, the rest of the Urimeshi team trailing far behind.  
  
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"Ahhh!" Jiaanti wailed, having been cornered by her pursuer. "Please! Don't!"  
  
"Grapko has demanded your demise, Mistress," he smirked in response, slowly drawing back his blood-stained ax to strike the fox down.  
  
"AHHH!"   
  
Kurama skid to a halt in the clearing, and there stood...his mother. He yearned to pause, but a creature's weapon was slicing the air to slit into her fragile form. "Mother!!" he called in fear and shock, sprinting for her instantly.  
  
"Kurama...?" she breathed softly as her emerald leers cast over the assasin's shoulder. She pricked in shock and immense joy at the sight of her humanoid pup. "Kurama!!"   
  
Hiei slurred into the air, his form locked in his god-like speed, and rushed to slice the assasin down with his un-sheathed Katana. Kurama pounced for his mother, guarding her from the collapsing ax...though at this point the demon had been killed, courtesy of Hiei. The stunning blade fell for the two foxes, Kurama gripping Jiaanti tight, shielding her with his body, and kicking away in a flash, the ax just barely grazing his shoulder. He collapsed to his hip, Jiaanti in a firm hold against his chest.  
  
"Kurama!" she wailed in terror and happiness swarmed in one emotion, binding her son's neck in a tight hug. "You're alive, my son!"  
  
"Mother..." he smiled softly, allowing his frazzled mother to break down in horrified sobs against his good shoulder once he had managed to sit up. "It's been a long time."   
  
Hiei slowly stabbed his blade back to it's sheath, a new corpse bubbling of it's blood at his feet. "Hn..." he grunted harshly at the unworthy assasin. "Are you alright, Kitsune?"  
  
Kurama, still hugging his sobbing mother, had just now noticed the graze to his shoulder, stinging in freshness. "Fine, Hiei...how is it you notice whenever I am hurt?"  
  
"I can smell blood, Kitsune...and you've been leaking of much of yours," Hiei smirked softly.  
  
Yusuke, dragging along Keiko by the latch to her hand, and Kuwabara, escorting little Yukina a little less forcefully, had finally managed to rush for the cavern.   
  
"Eww!!" Keiko winced hard at the leaking corpse by Hiei's feet, ducking behind a defensive Yusuke. Yukina stared in fear and discomfort, nestling against the protective Kuwabara, who instantly laced his arms about her fragile form.  
  
"It's alright mother..." Kurama cooed a soft murmur into his frightened mother's flicking fox ear. "Hiei killed that demon..."  
  
"Mother?!" Yusuke and Kuwabara wailed in shocked unison.  
  
"Yusuke, Kuwabara, Yukina, Keiko, Hiei..." Kurama smiled faintly at his companions, gently calming the she-fox down. "This is my demon mother...Jiaanti."  
  
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Anemone: hey there! yesm, Kurama's demon mother ran into 'em...if you don't remember, at the start of Kurama vs. Ryooki, she managed to break away from Grapko and she said somethin' along the lines of "I have to help Kurama...his father's mad"  
  
Kurama: indeed...thank you Mones...I was wondering when she would be back.  
  
Hiei: *cough* momma's boy *coughcough*  
  
Kurama: am not!   
  
Hiei: haha ya you are...  
  
Kurama: hmpf...  
  
  
  
Anemone: say your degrading-er, I mean, perfectly fine line, Flames...  
  
Hiei: did you just call it degr-  
  
Kurama: *veeeeeeeeeery threatening look* say the friggen line!!  
  
Hiei: *long pause, staring at Kurama* er...anywho, please review...  
  
Anemone: *gasp* wow!!! That was GREAT, Fox!! I should have you do that more often...  
  
Kurama: *bows* I know, I'm good...  
  
Hiei: *pissed off* hn...Red is gonna pay...  
  
Anemone: latr, my loverly readers!! 


	27. Hereditary Cleverness

Anemone: *negative mumbles*  
  
Kurama: Anemone...?  
  
Anemone: *slightly louder negative mumbles*  
  
Kurama: erm...what's wrong...?  
  
  
  
Anemone: *still mumbling negatively*  
  
Hiei: obviously she's troubled.  
  
Kurama: *long pause, just looking at Hiei with a 'no duh' look on his face...rolls eyes* Mones...? Come now, what is it?  
  
Anemone: I can't figure out what the hell to write next!  
  
Kurama: huh?  
  
  
  
Anemone: usually it takes me an hour to write a chapter, that's why I update so fast...but I can't think of anything!  
  
Kurama: uh-oh...  
  
Hiei: hn...*hand on chin, in deep thought, lip kinda poked outward* I know what to do...*blurs into a run, blurs back...holding a box of chocolate chip ice cream with a big spoon...digs into the ice cream, and forces a huge spoonful into her mouth*  
  
Anemone: *slight hacking, look of confusion and shock with Hiei still holding the spoon in her mouth*  
  
Kurama: Hiei! What are you doing?! *pulls spoon out of her mouth* Mones?!  
  
Anemone: *swallows, looking a little nauseated*  
  
Kurama: why did you do that, Hiei?!  
  
Hiei: wait for it Kitsune...  
  
Kurama:...wait for what...?  
  
Anemone: *suddenly pricks to attention, reeeeeeeeeeeeeeally energetic, starts typing like crazy*  
  
Kurama: gah! What the-?!  
  
Hiei: all she needed was a sugar hype...now the chapter's almost done.  
  
Kurama: but...every other chapter took her an hour...how can she write this fast on a spoonful of ice cream?!  
  
Anemone: *starts to slow down, looking reeeeeeeeally tired...*  
  
Hiei: uh-oh...she needs another boost... *digs another spoonful, shoves it in her mouth, she resumes her god-like speed*  
  
Kurama: heh...0_0' *twitchy eye*...impressive...  
  
Hiei: yes...she's only done this once before for her writing...but she ate a whole bowl-full so it was like ZING...  
  
Kurama: I see...*raises an eyebrow at the still typing Anemone*  
  
Anemone: DONE! *long pause, she collapses to sleep on the keyboard*  
  
Kurama: oh my...  
  
Hiei: yeah she also did that last time...  
  
Kurama: *uploads chapter, picks her up and places her on her bed* I've had to do this a lot lately...  
  
Hiei: she'll wake up demanding you say your line...I just know it...  
  
Kurama: then perhaps I'll say it on my own accord...*turns to readers* Chapter 27, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 27: Hereditary Cleverness  
  
Jiaanti slowly slipped from her son's hug, standing calmly...her fragile little face resembled Suichi's to a stunning fault, but at the same time he looked to masculine to be even relevant to her delicate appearance. Peculiar.   
  
"Uh...hello...Mrs...erm...? Mrs. Kurama's demon mom...?" Kuwabara stated in confusion as to how to properly address the fox. Jiaanti, in spite of her near murder and her slight sobs, managed to chuckle at the boy's behavior. Yukina giggled as her human boyfriend struggled with his words.  
  
"You moron," Hiei's ruby leers rolled in utter annoyance. "Demon's don't have last names as you humans do...the formal greeting is to state their name followed by their general species. To properly refer to Kistune's mother, you'd state 'Jiaanti of the Fox Breed.'"  
  
"Demonic Etiquette, taught to you by, Hiei! Allowing youngsters to grow with the manners and civility that only a Demon could have!" Yusuke smirked sarcastically as he mimicked a PBS narration.   
  
  
  
"Yusuke..." Keiko half-growled softly.  
  
"Keiko," he snuffed in return.   
  
"Indeed, Hiei..." Kurama smirked faintly. "That was a bit...'school teacher' of you..."  
  
"Hn..." the flame demon grunted harshly at his companions. "Just so you know, it happens to bother me when filthy ningens attempt their human rituals of manners in the likes of demons...our former habits are much different, as you know, Kitsune..."  
  
"Oh, so in other words...it bugs you when people aren't polite in demonic terms?" Kuwabara sneered smugly.   
  
"Hn..." Hiei's temper was wavering between normal...and dangerous.  
  
"Hahaha...Hiei, I must say...I don't know much about demonic manners, but really, you're never that polite..." Yusuke chuckled.   
  
"How's this for polite!" Hiei snarled, his patience having run dry at the crude remarks pinned against him. The flame demon blurred into nothingness, jerking to stillness behind the Detective...his Katana drawn and poked slightly against Yusuke's neck. Keiko shrieked, diving behind the sitting Kurama...who, in light of what happened, didn't seem to care...nor did Yusuke...or Kuwabara...or Jiaanti...really, only Yukina and Keiko had been startled.  
  
"Point taken, jeesh..." Yusuke rolled his eyes, smiling softly. "So-rry, Flames..."  
  
"Hn," Hiei smirked, stabbing his Katana to it's raven sheath. "Good...now, why is it we ran into Grapko's mate?" his narrow ruby glare scanned towards the lovely Jiaanti standing left of her humanoid son, still set Indian style to the floor, with Keiko still crouched behind him.   
  
"I've come to assist you," Jiaanti's face dimmed of positive nature and melted straight into pure sincerity, casting her eyes downward to the sitting Kurama. "Grapko is insane, and you're going to need all the help you can get, Kurama."   
  
"Yes," he breathed calmly. He slowly drew his tormented emerald gaze upward and locked eyes with the she-fox. His words were formed effortlessly in his mind, but escaped his lips with trouble. "But...tell me, mother...is...is..."  
  
"The girl is fine, Kurama," Jiaanti sighed. "He hasn't killed her..."  
  
"...but he's abused her..." Kurama snarled under his breath, casting his face downwards, a murderous look of hatred about his face. Jiaanti paused, her expression untainted by his behavior, but her voice softened at his loyalty to the girl.  
  
"Yes...he has."  
  
Kurama slowly curled a leg beneath his form, pushing himself to a firm stand. Intimidation locked his face, bangs and shadows veiling his narrowed emerald eyes. With one slight move of his head, the shadow slipping past slightly, the purest hate was sponged into his brilliantly emerald eyes. "Mother...you don't mind if I kill him, do you?"  
  
Jiaanti was slightly taken aback...no one had ever asked for her opinion before. "W...what? Why do you ask for my permission, Kurama?"  
  
"Well," his tone was much lower than the norm, yet was still very Suichi. "...he is, your, mate...would you not be saddened if he were to be killed?"  
  
"No," she smiled softly, pain and exhaust gripping her delicate features. "...he is a beast. A mere wolf. No remorse or honor of any kind. He needed to blackmail you and the Dragon into coming here by kidnaping your weaknesses. That is beyond shameful and desperate, and he doesn't mind murdering women and children for self-gain. He abuses me, and he treats his henchmen and very children with disrespect and appauling hatred. He deserves death for forcing Ryooki to murder others. He deserves death for abusing these poor young women. And he deserves death for his plots against you and Hiei."  
  
"Hn, I like your mother, Kitsune," Hiei smirked kindly. "She holds your monstrous father in such low regards...she pays attention."  
  
"Obviously, Hiei," Kurama, still the look of pure intimidation, countered softly. "Grapko has treated her terribly since before I can remember...in truth, I am surprised she managed to stay alive."  
  
Jiaanti quirked an eyebrow at her son's lack of faith towards her survival skills. "Though this is his home, Kurama, I know the Kyorgin Caves better than Grapko and Ryooki combined. I know where to go to get away when he suffers a lapse of insanity."  
  
"So, you're constantly hiding?" Kuwabara inquired faintly.  
  
"Kazuma!" Yukina gaped a tiny squeak.   
  
Kuwabara whirled cowered in utter confusion. "What did I do, Sweetums?!"  
  
"No, it is the truth...," Jiaanti smiled softly. "...really, what the boy has said pretty much sums up my situation here."  
  
"HA!" he grunted to the others in success. "I said something right!"  
  
"For once..." Hiei muttered smugly.  
  
"Watch it, Midget..." Kuwabara growled threateningly.   
  
"Children!" Yusuke snarled at the dragon and the dimwit. "Please...mommy and daddy are talking right now..."  
  
"Hn..." Hiei grunted a low, devious smirk at the moronic Kuwabara. "Whatever, 'mommy'..."  
  
"Ooh, touche, Hiei..." Yusuke sneered in return.  
  
"ANYWAY..." Kurama, now the picture of sheer annoyance, his nose singeing red, his lips pinched tight, and his eyes pressed shut in an attempt to contain his pure irritation, scowled to his companions. "...please continue, Mother..." his flashing glare then jerked to the boys. "...hopefully without any interruptions..."  
  
"Well," the fox's tone was soft and fragile. "I know that in your current state, Kurama...you've no chance against Grapko."  
  
"But," Yukina's voice, just as delicate as that of Jiaanti's piped from beside Kuwabara. "I healed all his wounds...he's alright..."  
  
"No, Yukina," Kurama smiled a soft, tired smile. "She means...I can't battle Grapko as a human...I must turn demon."  
  
"But, turning demon was killing you!" Kuwabara gaped in shock. "You can't let Yoko take over your body...what makes you so sure he'll give it back once the battle is over?!"  
  
"Baka ningen..." Hiei grunted calmly. "You saw how Kitsune handled fighting with himself...he can take the body back."  
  
"Besides, Kuwabara..." Kurama added faintly. "I won't allow it to completely overpower me...I'll still be overlooking Yoko's actions...and I'll break through to control immediately."  
  
"Yeah, okay...but still...that was kinda scary when you fought yourself..." Yusuke raised an eyebrow. "How do we know you won't get pissed off again before the fight and change into Yoko?"  
  
"My only link to that self is through the ruby Koenma gave me," Kurama countered firmly. "And, if you hadn't noticed, I am not wearing it."  
  
"Gah?! Then where is it?!" Kuwabara blinked in shock and fear.  
  
"Calm down, Dimwit, it's with me," Hiei clicked his tongue to his teeth. "I'm not allowing Kitsune near it until we reach Grapko."  
  
"Kurama..." Jiaanti sighed faintly, attempting to catch the boy's attention.  
  
"Yes, Mother?" Kurama pricked instantly to face her.   
  
"That ruby...though it shall transform you into Yoko, you still lack the power to defeat Grapko." she sighed in utter dismay, casting her weighed sight away from her gaping son.  
  
"But...why not, Mother?"   
  
"Because!" she cursed in sorrow. "He is a wolf...a pure bred...you are a hybrid, Kurama...you lack the Wolf Breed's brawn...but he possesses it!"  
  
"But, Mother...because I am half fox, I've your wits...you're the only one that knows how to escape Grapko's henchmen with stealth and cleverness...with your mind, I can defeat him...I've the necessary abilities and techniques..."  
  
"Kurama..." she sighed heavily. "Why not allow me to distract him, so that you may save the girl?"  
  
"Never!!" Kurama gaped in shock at her suggestion. "Mother, how can you even suggest such a thing?!"  
  
"Her life is more important than mine...my life was lost the day I allowed myself to be dragged into this forsaken mountain...Kurama, I've nothing to live for...but you do!"  
  
"No! I will not hear of it!" he shouted firmly. "You will not pose as bait, Mother, I simply will not stand for the suggestion!"  
  
Silence hazed the group, the Detective, Dragon, Dimwit, and girls stunned at Kurama's headstrongness. Then, Jiaanti slowly heaved in a heavy sigh.  
  
"You've changed, Kurama," Jiaanti breathed softly, a smile of pride and joy about her sorrowful face. "Your ningen mother has melted the iron heart you possessed since birth as my pup...she is the better mother for you, Kurama."  
  
The Kitsune was stunned. Memories of Mrs. Minamino flashed through his subconscious the instant of Jiaanti's mention to her. But...but how could she say such things? Who truly did Kurama love more? His demonic mother or his human mother? Neither...he loved both fiercely, and didn't prefer one to the other. How could Jiaanti assume such a thing?!  
  
"M-Mother...that is not true! I love you both! I do!" Kurama protested Jiaanti's word, but the fox only smiled softer.  
  
"Kurama...there is no doubt in my mind you love me...now that you scolded me for ever suggesting I pose as bait...indeed, my son...she raised you better than I...there was a time you'd be hesitant but allow me to distract him."  
  
"What?! Not even my Yoko half is that cruel! He can't be!"  
  
"I do not blame your Yoko self for being of that nature...you were raised by a fearful, abused mother and an insane, brutal, ruthless wolf. But now, you are an honest, caring man...if you will not abide by my first plan, then I suppose the only alternate is in order."  
  
"What alternate?" Kurama blinked slowly.  
  
"Well...mind you, It will hurt...a lot..."  
  
"What is it, Mother?" he inquired slowly and sternly. Slowly Jiaanti's hand eased into her bushy mane, and, stroking her sprawled palm through, retracted an arrow of white gold. It was tipped in a pure sapphire head and possessed a ruby end.   
  
"...the hell...?" Yusuke breathed in confusion.  
  
"It's one of Ryooki's arrows," Jiaanti's tone lacked emotion. "But it isn't of the norm."  
  
"What do you mean...?" Hiei raised an eyebrow.   
  
"I mean...that this type of arrow is lunged into the flesh and melts into the bloodstream, creating a new manner of toughness in the skin, so it's harder to pierce."  
  
"Mother!" Kurama exclaimed. "Why on Earth would you save this for second to a suggestion of live bait?! Of course I'd rather do this than allow you near that monster!"  
  
"But...it causes massive physical pain..." she pleaded against his positive words.  
  
"I don't care!" He countered harshly. "To save Botan, I would willingly die!" a low snarl contorted his features. "I love her!!"  
  
Silence. Shock overtook the entire group...they had all suspected he liked her...but now...now they knew for sure...they knew he loved her...not liked...loved her. Even Hiei was startled at the Kitsune's confession...he never expected someone so calm and solace would burst in his emotions like that...he had before, mind you...but in anger...not love.  
  
"As you can plainly tell, Mother," he breathed slowly. "I don't care the amount of pain it will give...I just want to save her! Please! Give me the arrow without any more hesitations!"  
  
"But, Kurama..." she attempted a plea.  
  
"What?" he asked half-harshly.  
  
"If this isn't removed from your bloodstream before a certain amount of time, it will kill you!"  
  
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a/n: hey there...sorry, not really any action there...but tons o' emotion...Kurama finally confessed his love towards Botan...er...not to her, but to the others so does that count? lol...anywho, the fight with Grapko is inching closer and closer, and it's giving me the willies...how am I supposed to write it?! lol never you mind, readers...I can do that part on my own...and believe you me, it'll be one hell of a doozy...hopefully...please review...latr! 


	28. The Deity's Realization

Anemone: thanx in advance to reviewer Sycogerl64...lol one of ur reviews will be in the dialogue...I thought it fit in. Fox!  
  
Kurama: chapter 28, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 28: The Deity's Realization  
  
"Dammit!" Yusuke snarled viciously. "Why is everything hard?! Of COURSE Kurama can't just go fight his father and get it over with! He's gotta shove an arrow in his chest and writhe in hellish agony for the slight chance that he might be on equal terms with his father, IF IT DOESN'T KILL HIM FIRST!!"  
  
"Yusuke!" Kurama scolded half-sharply at the angered youth. "Calm yourself! I haven't accepted the arrow..."  
  
"But you will!" Yusuke countered harshly. "I know you enough to know that you'll take a booster like that and worry the shit out of everyone as you fight and nearly give us all freakin' heart attacks until you come up with some dramatic, narrow escape...you ALWAYS do that!!"   
  
"Detective...heal..." Hiei grunted the rude demand coldly, Yusuke glaring chocolate daggers at the flame demon. "Kurama isn't that reckless, you should know at least that much...he wouldn't take the arrow unless he knew he truly needed it," Hiei slowly cast soft-sharp eyes for the Kitsune. "...and I must say...with our current chances, he should take that offer instantly."  
  
"I dunno, you guys...I'm gonna go with Urimeshi on this one," Kuwabara piped in awkward disposition and worry. "I mean...we've already got a way to unleash Yoko Kurama...isn't that enough?"  
  
"Hardly," Hiei snarled. "You do not know Grapko's power...it is insane."  
  
"Well, if Grapko is Kurama's dad, then wouldn't Kurama be just as strong?" Kuwabara asked hopefully.  
  
"Yeah!" Yusuke piped. "I'm not that good with genetic crap, but wouldn't you be wicked strong too?"  
  
"I am sorry, you two, but no," Kurama breathed calmly. "My strengths are definitely resided within my fox half...Grapko's physical power isn't hereditary, it's actually unnatural."  
  
"How would you remember that?!" Yusuke blinked in surprise.  
  
"These caves are awakening Yoko within me..." Kurama cast his head downwards in slight shame. "...luckily, only the ruby can release him entirely, but I still have old memories sparking to life in my human mind...and I am starting to remember more and more about Grapko in this mountain."  
  
"I see," Yusuke drew his eyes to the side in thought. "So, how come Grapko's strength isn't natural?"  
  
"Same reason Hiei's Jagon isn't," Kurama shrugged calmly.  
  
"Say what?!" Yusuke and Kuwabara drew back in surprise.  
  
"Hiei had his Jagon implanted, as you two know..." Kurama breathed the explanation with pure composure. "...well, Grapko in turn had an operation much like Hiei's to increase his strength...he already had a vast advantage, having been born with a wolf demon's speed, but he is now even more of a challenge since his operation...I remember it because he had it done when I was still Yoko...a week before my birth as Suichi."  
  
"Wow..." Yusuke sighed faintly.   
  
"And," Kurama continued as his tired emerald leers pressed shut. "Since his strength isn't natural, I didn't inherit it...even as Yoko, I am still at a rather evident disadvantage...and Grapko knows this."  
  
"Which is why you should take your mother's offer, Kitsune," Hiei's ruby glare narrowed in half-frustration. "Accept the terms of the arrow...fight with it and remove it from your bloodstream as she had warned...do it if you dare wish to save your beloved deity!"  
  
Kurama pricked, a slight grunt of a gasp stinging in the core of his throat, his eyes clenching shut. 'Botan...' he thought softly.   
  
"No!" Yusuke growled. "Kurama, you can do it WITHOUT a freakin' arrow that can kill you! Would Botan want you to die trying to save her?!"  
  
"It is with that very argument, Detective," Hiei snarled in annoyance. "...that you can be proven wrong...would Botan want him to die in her attempted rescue...he has a better chance of that not happening with the arrow."  
  
"Enough!" Keiko half-shrieked, the boys instantly pausing in their venomous argument to glance for the brunette. Both she and Yukina had grown in pure irritation against the whole situation, Keiko more than Yukina.  
  
"You two shouldn't be trying to decide this for Kurama!" Keiko glared sharp, caramel daggers at the Detective and the Dragon, both staring back in a start. Yusuke cowered his head as his girlfriend scolded him, Hiei rolling his eyes after recovering from his shock. "This is his decision...whether he takes the arrow or not shouldn't be either of your concerns!! He's doing this all for Botan, not you two!! What gives you the right to demand him to either side of a decision?!"  
  
"Yeah!" Yukina grunted in agreement. "And it's very mean of you two to try and influence his choice by dragging Botan into it!" Now Hiei was taking the words to heart and bowing in embarrasment. "That's just plain low! Let him choose, and whichever choice he makes, you'd better leave it be!"   
  
The two were hesitant and reluctant, sharing an annoyed glace to each other and moaning irritated sighs as they agreed to Keiko and Yukina's demands. "Okay," Yusuke grumbled. "Very well..." Hiei wrinkled his nose.  
  
Kuwabara examined the torn Kitsune with concern and confusion as this went about. After the girls had peacefully allowed Yusuke and Hiei a second chance and silence hazed thick over the team, Kuwabara piped up the one question that still haunted both the Detective and the Dragon. "So, what are ya' gonna do, Kurama?"   
  
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"Kurama..." Botan sighed heavily as her thoughts ran over memories of the Kitsune. She had always had a slight crush on him...he was so darn cute, afterall! Not to mention very sweet and excessively polite...he held a respectability about him that seemed to give him a gentleman-type quality greatly lacking in other boys now-a-days. He was also very smart and experienced...not at all like the reckless Yusuke...in battles, Kurama actually knew what he was doing.  
  
Not only that...but know that she lingered deeper and deeper into the topic of the fox, she realized...she had always been very attracted to his eyes. They were gentle, and soft, a deep, glinting emerald that seemed to darken with his emotions. They hazed with his troubled past...yet it seemed that no one else of the team had noticed how deep and sentimental his eyes truly were...well, maybe Hiei did. Actually, Hiei was probably the only one who did understand Kurama's inner plight, and was probably the only other one of the team to see the pain in Kurama's smiling eyes...that was probably why they were best friends, because they could understand each other with a simple grunt...or with a flash of sorrow in one's eyes.  
  
Botan felt a deep twinge in her heart. 'his eyes always seem so hurt and tired...he definitely doesn't seem like a normal fifteen-year-old boy...his eyes truly do express his emotional wisdom...poor Kurama...'   
  
As her thoughts wandered over him more and more, she remembered times when she felt the moment should freeze. The first time she ever got a glimpse of him...was when he was still the humanoid outlaw, having just stolen the Forlorn Hope. He, Hiei, and their buffoon partner stood alone in a forest clearing...she had overheard him withdrawing from the trio, and he was stalking slowly away. She had been forcing through the woods in search for Yusuke, and there he was, tramping past with weighed, tired steps and a look of exhaust and regret in his sorrowful eyes. She froze at the sight of him...he was gorgeous.   
  
A blush clouded the slope of her nose at the memory...he hadn't even seen her yet at that point...yet that was when she had formed the first suggestion of a crush on him. And it deepened when Yusuke battled Hiei for the first time...and Kurama came to assistance...that was the second time she lay eyes on him...and the first he did for her. She remembered blushing insanely when he approached her and Keiko to help in shutting the brunette's sizzling Jagon. He had flashed a gentle, very soft smile in Botan's direction, despite his fresh wound through the stomach.  
  
Other memories tainted her thoughts as she lingered into the past. During the Dark Tournament when they would exchange little bits of information between each other...when he guarded her from Hiei's Black Dragon Wave...when Kurama had to fight Gama and Touya in two consecutive battles, and he had been plagued with his own weapon...total fear and sorrow haunted Botan when she saw Kurama standing unconscious...and she was almost in tears of horror when Bakken trampled to the ring, and attacked the half-dead Kitsune...total worry and terror was her plight as she fought the urge to embrace the fox...but she knew he had to be left alone if he was to recover...he needed to focus solely on his concentration to heal himself...and still other little moments leading up to the incident with Yakumo and the Netherworld...in her state of half-consciousness, she remembered the Kitsune heartthrob lacing his arms about her delicate form and carrying her away from the scene as the battle of Detective vs. Demonic king lashed on to a deadly extent.   
  
Botan's face singed red...her heart began to swarm against her ribcage as emotions drapped over her. "Oh my," she blinked primly when she realized her face was stained scarlet. She then realized, pricking to instant attention...she...she loved Kurama.   
  
"I love him..." she breathed slowly. "All those times...that wasn't a crush I had from the moment I saw him in the forest...I fell in love! I, I've BEEN in love for over a year now!" Dizziness began to falter her breaths as she cooed her confession into the dank dimness of her prison within Grapko's lair. "I...I love him so much! His wit, his politeness, his smile...his eyes...him."  
  
Her candy eyes peeled open wide as realization veiled her. All those moments, when Kurama showed worry and concern for her...when his eyes would express even sharper, gentler focus than the norm when gazing solely at her...even just earlier that very day, when she and he were trapped on her oar in midair...when he sniffed her hair and blush controlled his features, when he guarded her from the rain, when he carried her home...how could she be so stupid?! If Grapko was cunning enough to find out Yukina was Hiei's little sister, would he not be able to determine Kurama's weakness with just as much brilliance?! Could...could he have been right? Could Kurama really...could he really love her?  
  
"Kurama..." she breathed faintly, a soft, velvet smile gracing her lips at the thought of her beloved Kitsune.   
  
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"Well? We're waiting for your choice, Kurama..." Hiei grunted softly in near impatience. Keiko was just about ready to smack the little Dragon upside the head for his recklessness...didn't Kurama deserve time to think over his options?!  
  
Silence hazed the group as the fox held his weighed head in a low bow, his sharp scarlet locks casting shadows of intimidation over his brilliantly emerald eyes.  
  
"C'mon, Kurama, what are you waiting for?!" Yusuke half-growled. "Tell Jiaanti you ain't interested!"  
  
"Yusuke!" Keiko snarled. "Let him decide on his own!"  
  
'What to do, what to do!' Kurama scolded himself, panning the options over in his mind, his teeth gritting firmly as he focused deep into either outcome. 'Without it...I could die against him and his insane power...but, with it...I could win!...but, again, I could die if it isn't removed after a certain time...dammit! I wouldn't mind dying so much if it wasn't for...Botan...ugh!!...What should I do?! Mother hasn't exactly told me how long I get with the arrow...what if it isn't even long enough to defeat Grapko?! I could die halfway through the battle if my veins are clogged with the metal and I didn't extract the weapon in time?! I wish life was easier than this! And of course, Hiei and Yusuke are torn about the decision as well...both want a different choice for me...which should I listen to?!'  
  
"Kurama!" Yusuke snarled in impatience.  
  
'Yusuke is somewhat reckless with decisions...' Kurama clicked in tongue to his teeth as he pondered Yusuke's side. 'He is also vastly inexperienced...he doesn't know the real pros and cons of the arrow...his choice is based flatly on my Mother's mere words, not through personal knowledge...but, perhaps it would be best to rely on my natural abilities...what if the arrow only ends up holding me back on some accounts?'  
  
"Kurama," Hiei grunted in irritation.  
  
'Hm...' Kurama then shifted to the countering option, the one Hiei rooted for. 'Hiei is much better at choosing sides that concern demonic items...he knows much more of the outcomes than Yusuke would...also, being a demon, he's had much more experience with similar situations...he would choose the better side, would he not? Then again...oh my GOD why is this so hard?! It's not like I'm choosing solely because of what those two say...the only options have been chosen by both...which would know better, though?! Yusuke, though raw in the demonic world, can actually come up with the right solutions...but Hiei more often than Yusuke...gah what to do, dammit?!'  
  
"Kurama?" Kuwabara piped in worried question.   
  
'Kuwabara had sided with Yusuke...so, more votes to denying the offer...but, then again, Kuwabara and Yusuke agreeing on something...well, erm...I can't say I trust it entirely...'  
  
"Kurama..." Yukina breathed faintly in concern for his and Botan's well beings.  
  
'Apparently Yukina holds concern for Botan and myself...but which side is she on...? Gah why would that matter, Kurama?! Focus! Which side?! Should I pluck petals...? Take it, not to take it...oh that would be beyond foolish to do!'  
  
"Kurama!" Jiaanti growled hard, jerking everyone's attention...this is the first she had spoken since she told of the arrow's murderous price. "What is it you decide, my son?"  
  
"I..." he mananged to stutter through his chaffing breaths, still wavering between his options. The group peered in leans towards the quiet fox as he slowly prepared to breath his choice. Hiei and Yusuke grit their teeth tight in preparation for the Fox's decision...both hoping it was the wisest their companion could make. Slowly, his signature composure seeped through, the fox slowly setting his head up to reveal narrowed, determined eyes. The brilliance of the emerald was stunning, darkened only with his stubbornness. The shadow cast by his loose, bushy bangs still veiled his piercing eyes, but the intimidation dimmed as he leveled his gaze to his mother and his friends. A brief pause deprived the group of their breath as they awaited his choice to be breathed into hearing. "...I accept the arrow, Mother."   
  
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Grapko smirked faintly. "Indeed, my pup...accept the arrow...for you know you cannot defeat me on your own...and believe you me, boy..." a surge of Spirit energy pulsed through Grapko's system, jerking his veins and muscles in a violently large throb. The shot of ki stung at his scalp...and his mane singed silver, the same shade of Yoko Kurama...Grapko was now in his most powerful state, the redness of his mane now a glossy, burning silver, with the undercoat of coal. "...you're going to need it...and your little ruby...it will be nice to see Yoko again...even if he must die."  
  
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Anemone: hey there! Yupyup, a somewhat short chapter...SORRY!! PLEASE FORGIVE ME!! *Hiei rolls eyes, brief pause* but anyway, *Hiei and Kurama anime fall at her sudden change of attitude, they are ignored* Botan finally realized she's madly in love wit our favorite Fox, that sly dog *Kurama, having already managed to sit back up, smirks*...and she's thinking he could be in love with her...which he is!! Flames!  
  
Hiei: what?  
  
Anemone: what do you mean 'what?' ?! say your line!  
  
Hiei: *heavy sigh* go review, now...if you don't, she's going to stiffle Kurama and myself into not talking and having those witty conversations before and after the chapter...do you really want that?! Didn't think so...so go review.  
  
Kurama: well done.  
  
Anemone: latr, peeps! 


	29. A Tougher Skin

*Anemone's room...Kurama's in the corner laziboy chair reading Fever, Hiei's on my bed listening to...METEORA! lol knowing me I bet you expected that...Anemone's trying to figure out what to write next*  
  
Hiei: *head bumping to "Hit the Floor"* hey Mones...what's the freakin' hold up?! *glares at readers* These ningens are looking at me as I enjoy my music...  
  
Kurama: *calmly turning the page* Hiei, pipe down...I'm trying to concentrate...  
  
Hiei: *smirking deviously, quickly cranks up the volume to a really loud extent for Kurama's ears*  
  
Kurama: *wide-eyed, drops book, shaking violently at the REALLY loud music, covering his ears* GAH!! TURN IT DOWN! TURN IT DOWN!!  
  
Hiei: *evil snicker, slowly turns it down*  
  
Kurama: *looking really tired and sick, twitchy eye* ehh! *glares* Hiei you KNOW my hearing is extra sensitive!!!  
  
Hiei: *innocent look* oops! Silly me...I forgot you can't handle high volumes without suffering random body spasms...  
  
Kurama: be quiet! You know well that is only because I've still fox-like hearing...oww!! *gently massages temples* so loud...everything is so loud...  
  
Hiei: hahaha! *gets decked in the head* OW!! MONES!!  
  
Anemone: *glaring down at Hiei* you just blew Kurama's ear drums, you idiot! *Kurama's still massaging temples and groaning*  
  
Hiei: *glaring back* well serves him right! Kitsune had it coming!  
  
Kurama: *half-gaping, half-glaring* what did I do?!  
  
Hiei: like you don't remember how you ditched me today!!  
  
Kurama: what are-*sudden realization* ooh......lol THAT...hahaha...  
  
Anemone: what happened?  
  
~*flashback to noon that day*~  
  
Kurama: *being chased by a fanclub mob and running for his life* I ALREADY TOLD YOU!! I'VE GOT A GIRLFRIEND!! YOU'VE SEEN ME WITH HER, YOU STALKERS! BLUE HAIR, PINK EYES...SHE'S MY GIRLFRIEND!!  
  
Fan girls: THAT'S WHAT YOU SAID LAST TIME!!!  
  
Kurama: IT HASN'T CHANGED! I'M STILL SEEING HER!  
  
Fan girls: NOT FOR LONG!! GET HIM!!!!!!!!  
  
Kurama: oh my GOD!! AHHH!!  
  
Hiei: *perched on a tree branch above, Kurama ducks behind tree* hahahaha! Well Kitsune, are you always this troubled?  
  
Kurama: *glare* shut up!  
  
Hiei: no, I think not, lol. Obviously, the almighty Kurama can't handle a few ningen females...that is pathetic. *snicker*  
  
Kurama: grrrr!! *pricks in an evil idea, smirks, and sneaks into depths of the now confused fangirl mob, hiding his face with his bangs*  
  
Fan girls: huh? Where'd he go?  
  
Kurama: *clears throat, mimicking a random girl, points to Hiei up in the tree* LOOK! IT'S SUICHI'S CUTE BEST FRIEND!  
  
Fan girls: *instantly jerking to face Hiei* THE CUTE BEST FRIEND!! GET HIM!!  
  
Hiei: *stares in shock* what the-?! *tree gets trampled* SHIT!!! *tries to jump away, but the falling tree pins him to the ground, girls move in on him* AHHH!  
  
~*end flashback*~  
  
Hiei: ...and I am NOT telling you what they did to me afterwards...!  
  
Anemone: LOLLOLLOL!!!  
  
Hiei: what are you laughing at?!  
  
Kurama: simply this Hiei...I got you SO bad, *snicker*  
  
Hiei: *glare, cranks up volume even louder than before without looking away from Kurama with his death glare*  
  
Kurama: *violent body spasms, in great pain, ears splitting at the volume* AHHHH! SORRYSORRYSORRY! TURN IT DOWN!!  
  
Hiei: *evil laughter* what...? I can't HEAR you!  
  
Kurama: *screaming in pain* AHHHHHH!!   
  
Hiei: mua-ha-ha!! *smack* OW! Mones!!  
  
Anemone: I really don't mind this volume...*looks at Kurama, now rolling on the floor covering his ears with his book and a pillow* ...but obviously Fox does!! Turn it down!  
  
Hiei: *folds arms* no.  
  
Anemone: *tugs his collar* DO IT! OR NO MORE ICE CREAM, CHIPS, OR CORNDOGS AT MY EXPENSE...EVER!!!!  
  
Hiei: GAH?! Alright, alright...*mutter* I'll get him back later...*shuts off music*   
  
Kurama: *panting from the pain* ahh!! My ears! My delicate ears! I'm freakin' DEAF!!  
  
Anemone: poor, poor Kurama...*Kurama in background slapping his palm against one ear trying to drive the ringing noises out* right...since Kurama seems busy at the moment, I suppose his line goes to...Hiei!  
  
Hiei: nani?!  
  
Anemone: c'mon, Flames! *looks at the angry Kurama* you deafened Fox...you say the line!  
  
Hiei: but you don't know what happened to me because of Kurama's little scheme today! He doesn't deserve the sympathy you're expressing!  
  
Anemone: tell me after the chapter! The intro is already too long...  
  
Hiei: *reeeeeally pissed off glare* grrrrrrr...fine...*sigh* chapter 29...go read it.  
  
Anemone: why do you always screw up the lines?!  
  
Hiei: it's not even my line!  
  
Kurama: ahhh! Stop yelling! The ringing just gets louder!  
  
Chapter 29: A Tougher Skin  
  
"What exactly must I do with it, Mother?" Kurama slowly rolled his glare smoothly over the slick arrow now in his clutch. "How do I pierce it into my bloodstream?"  
  
"By the wrist," she answered softly. "Extend your arm to a tight, firm straightness, and do not allow it to move in any manner...this is especially difficult because many tend to vibrate in fear and dread of the pain...but if you remain completely unmoving, the pain isn't near the excrutiation if a spasm falters the aim and the arrow is lodged in no particular placement."  
  
"I see," he eyed it curiously. He then extended his right arm outward, tightened his gnarled fist to clench the skin firm, and with a quick, emotionless jerk, forced the arrow into the still wrist.  
  
"AH!" the team winced in unison, Yukina clamping her face in her quivering hands and burrying her front in Kuwabara's chest, the awkward teenager in turn looking away and binding her against him...all of the team was shocked and slightly sickened, let Hiei, who flinched only slightly at the sound of the tearing flesh and vein. Kurama looked at the arrow with an expression of sincerity as pain stung sweat to his temples. "My..." he grunted a coarse breath of pain as a vibrating wince distorted his features. "...it would seem," he struggled with his words. "...that it hurts, more than I, had expected..."  
  
"But, you kept control and didn't allow yourself to pulse harder than the norm...trust me, Kurama, the pain would have been worse otherwise," Jiaanti reassured him with soft eyes. "Now...you must push it further into your veins, until the ruby end is the only fraction of the arrow exposed...it will nestle comfortably into the grooves of your wrist."  
  
"Right," he half-grunted as he struggled to hold the pain within and not allow it to seep through for all to see. With slight strain, and immense pain bubbling from the new wound in gushes of redness, the Kitsune bit hard into his bottom lip, and, pinching his emerald glare shut, forced himself to drive the weapon further into his system.  
  
Hiei and Jiaanti winced sharply at the sounds their sensitive ears picked up...the distinct sound of flesh pinching torn, tissue unraveling, and vein snapping. Hiei grunted a low "hn" as he calmly pressed his ruby eyes closed, an almost queasy expression threatening to take over.   
  
Keiko buried her face in Yusuke's shoulder, the Detective casting his chocolate stare upwards in a vain attempt to ignore the amounts of blood slipping from the fox's gashed wrist. Yukina whimpered in Kuwabara's chest as a sickening sensation swelled within her, and her control over the temperature was wavering...the entire room was now jerking from cool to freezing.   
  
As the mint-haired beauty began to loose all control and allowed her ki to warp the surrounding caverns into the purest form of sheer coldness, Kuwabara was having immense trouble keeping his arms strung about her fragile form...her body temperature had dropped considerably, and the entire room was frosted over in cold from the demonness's sickened emotion towards the blood slipping from Kurama's wrist.  
  
The entire group, let Kurama, Jiaanti, and Hiei, was greatly bothered by Yukina's uncontrolled antics...she was, after all, merely expressing her queasiness the only way she knew how, without exactly realizing the temperature had dimmed to beyond the human's endurance. Keiko and Yusuke bound firmly together, shivering violently in the brisk surroundings. Kuwabara was forcing himself to continue his stern hug about her chilling body, though he nearly allowed every muscle touching the aperition to dense in frozen numbness...circulation through his chest, arms, and stomach was slowing as his skin and tissue tightened from the cold.  
  
Hiei, after a few minutes, pricked when he realized everyone's body temperature had dimmed, not just Yukina's. The cold was too much for the others...Yusuke had collapsed to the ground with Keiko meshed to his chest, and Kuwabara was half-dead from the cold...Yukina had passed out, the flame demon noticed...for one, her temperature was faltering at a slower rate, and for another, she would have forced herself to control the cavern back to normality when she noticed her little moronic boyfriend in such pain. Hiei glanced quickly for Kurama, who was still at war with the stinging pain in his wrist...and without a word, he stepped lightly for Yukina, clasped his hand to her fragile shoulder, and, pressing his narrow ruby glare shut, focused his energy into heat.   
  
His warmth clashed with her cold, a wave of light pounding from both...a red glow from him and a teal glow from her. An unnatural breeze of energy combed through his raven mane, a breeze of his heat, and a similar wind of cold brushed through her mint spikes. Slowly, Hiei managed to neutralize the entire cave back to the dank, warm-cool level it was before her queasiness lacked the group of stable temperature. Yusuke and Keiko, feeling a wave of warmth wash over the cavern in smooth, soft ripples, cast their wide brown leers towards Hiei, who was pressing his demonic heat into his half-sister's delicate little body. Kuwabara in turn was massaged back into a normal temperature, his tense, numb muscles relaxing as Yukina was coursed through with Hiei's ki...ki that he forced to be gentle...he wouldn't have minded just blasting a fireball into the walls to break the cold...but he had noticed, in her state of unconsciousness, her body was far colder than it should be...she had lost control in her nausea, and had fallen into wavering briskness that not even an ice aperition as herself would be able to stand. So, instead of blasting a heated surge of energy into the room, he rather massaged her, and in turn the entire cavern, back into warmth.  
  
Kurama winced a soft, Suichi smile for Hiei as the flame demon softened the cave back into decency, but pain distorted his grin into a forced expression, burning blood bubbling from the fresh wound. "GAH!!" he snarled, collapsing to one knee and pinning his singeing arm to his chest.   
  
At this point, Hiei and Yukina were both in mild states of unconciousness, both hovering slightly in midair, both surging of their demonic powers, him of heat and her of cold. Kuwabara awkwardly slipped from her little body as she and her brother floated in the air, the human staring in utter shock...Hiei was still half-awake as he engulfed himself in his energy to soothe her back to warmth, but her cold was overwhelming to the dragon demon...she was so chilling to touch, though none of the group noticed just how cold, since Hiei had managed to calm the atmosphere back to it's original state...the siblings were still clashing, his warmth against her cold, the unnatural breezes of their energies now ruffling violently through their spiky manes. Suddenly, a surge of Spirit Energy sprayed from both, and they were thrown in opposite directions...this being the result of Hiei pinching one last force of ki that sent her temperature instantly to normal...but the blow sent the two, now conscious, demons flying.  
  
Yukina yelped a slight squeal as her little form soared through the air.  
  
Hiei grunted a half-shocked husk of a breath as he was jerked away.  
  
Yukina surely would have rammed into the dagger-sharp cavern wall, had Kuwabara not yelled out her name in concern and recklessness and rushed in her route, blocking her from the jagged stone and catching her instantly. "K-Kazuma?" she blinked in surprise. "wha...what happened?"  
  
Yusuke and Keiko, still crouching together on the ground, half-yelled in surprise, the Detective thrusting her aside just as Hiei rammed headfirst straight into his stomach, the impact sending both boys zooming staight for the wall five feet back. Yusuke coughed a gasp of pain as the only thing between the jagged stone of the cavern wall and Hiei's thick skull was his now tender stomach. Both Detective and Dragon moaned from pain and dizziness, both allowing their muscles to relax limp in that exact possition, Hiei sprawled half on the ground and half in Yusuke's lap with his arms flopped on the smooth floor, Yusuke pinned straight against the now slightly-dented wall with his legs flayed wide and lazy. "Ow...dammit, Hiei!" Yusuke grumbled a soft groan.   
  
"Shut up, ningen...that wasn't a picnic for me, either..." Hiei hissed lazily, his head swimming and his fingers still singed from the cold of Yukina's shoulder.   
  
Seeing this, Kurama did what he hadn't for a while...he laughed. Despite the pain burrowed and stabbing deep into his wrist and singeing into his forearm, he chuckled hard at the scene of Hiei bashing into Yusuke, and both denting into the wall, yelling at each other. That was just plain funny. Without even thinking about it, the fox subconsciously wedged the arrow deeper into his arm as laughter pounded him in jagged pulses...he couldn't believe how strangely funny that was...the whole situation was serious, and admirable on Hiei's part...up until he and Yukina were ripped apart and Hiei rammed not only himself but Yusuke into the far wall...it was hilarious to have witnessed.  
  
The entire group stared at Kurama, his laughter light-hearted and brisk, the fox ignoring the stinging eyes of question burning on him. Silence stunned the lips of his every companion, each watching him with widened eyes and raised eyebrows. Yukina and Kuwabara blinked in side-glances to each other, and back to Kurama, who continued his pulsing chuckles. Hiei and Yusuke just looked at him with expressions of confusion meshed with annoyance.  
  
"The hell is so funny?!" Yusuke growled, still sprawled against the wall with the irritated Hiei still flopped half on his lap, glaring his own deadly stare of flaring ruby at the laughing kitsune.   
  
"You!" Kurama managed to breath between light chuckles, the fox still unaware of the pain singeing at his tender arm and still lodging it deeper into his veins. "That..." he panted through mad laughter. "...that was the, funniest, thing, I've ever seen, to happen between the two, of you!" his eyes were pinched shut as his glee tightened his features in an expression of pure amusement. "...I mean, the whole, situation, was beyond serious...until Hiei bashes into Yusuke and the two collapse into the wall! That is SO funny! It has to be, the most, amusing thing, I've ever had the pleasure, of witnessing!"   
  
Kurama was lost of his signature dignity and composure...right now, he was as hysterical as Botan would have been, clasping his side as his riveting laughter cramped into the muscles at his waist. Stares, ruby of Yukina, scarlet of Hiei, chocolate of Yusuke, caramel of Keiko, onyx of Kuwabara, and emerald of Jiaanti, watched Kurama in silence and surprise...this was new...Kurama never acted like that before...he'd chuckle briefly in the past...but this...it was almost scary how hilarious Kurama found this...so, to break the tension, Kuwabara, having taken in the situation, realized that it was pretty humerous, and decided to join in on the laughter. He pulsed in quiet, stiffled chuckles, and cast his eyes towards Hiei and Yusuke, still too lazy and far into the conversation to have moved from the position by the wall. Kuwabara eyed them both with solid onyx stares as he tried to hide his amused snicker.  
  
"Actually, I do hafta agree with Kurama...that was pretty funny..." he snickered...Kurama was still caught in mad hysterics of laughter.  
  
"What was, Kazuma...?" Yukina eyed her boyfriend in utter bafflement...being unconscious, she had no idea why she was whizzing through the air and into Kuwabara's arms...and she had missed Yusuke's encounter with the wall and with a flame demon's granite skull.  
  
"Oh, well Sweetums," he grinned goofily as he was about to jump into a long, excruciating explanation.  
  
"Shut up...!" Hiei and Yusuke growled in unision at the human, already neuseated from Kuwabara's would-have-been acts of nostalgic stupidity...Kuwabara in turn threw a vicious glare of narrowed onyx leers at the pair.   
  
"Well, it was..." Kuwabara lightened up after a moment of his threatening stare, chuckling slightly, but hardly in tune with the hysterical Kurama. A slight pause, before Yusuke couldn't stand Kurama's over-the-top laughter.  
  
"Geez Kurama it wasn't that funny..." Yusuke eyed him in half-fear of his sanity. The fox merely shook his head as his gentle snickers grew steadily louder.  
  
"Yes it was," Kurama grinned. This really wasn't like him...  
  
Hiei and Yusuke stared blankly at the chuckling Kitsune for a pause's time before casting their eyes in confused side-glances, and smoothly eyeing back to him. Suddenly, Hiei pricked. "Uh-oh..." he breathed, kicking up from his flopped position wedged against the Detective.  
  
"What is it...?" Keiko blinked at him in confusion.   
  
"Something is wrong..." Hiei grunted, throwing his sharp scarlet glare at the calm Jiaanti, who remained unmoved by Kurama's foreign behavior. "That arrow is giving him drugged effects, isn't it?" he deduced, merely by glancing at the ecstatic boy. Jiaanti simply bowed her weighed head in a brief nod.   
  
"Do not worry, though..." he reassured the angered Dragon with a serene tone. "...his composure will set in eventually...it's just, well..." she paused in an attempt to address Hiei with the news. "the arrow has an odd effect...the metallic substance, when entered into one for the first time, acts like sugar."  
  
"Wait wait WAIT..." Yusuke eyed her in shock. "You mean he's on a high?!"  
  
"In a way, yes."  
  
"Ah SHIT...!" the Detective snarled.  
  
"Calm down..." Jiaanti grunted in irritation. "...the fresh effects of hysteria will wear off in a minute or so...once the metallic material has tainted every corner of his circulatory system, his body will be used to it's presence and will be able to return to the norm."  
  
"Okay...so, you're saying he'll be hyper until every part of him has taken in the arrow's substance?" Keiko inquired slowly.  
  
"Exactly...that little scenario between the Detective and Hiei triggered that hyperness within him...he'll be back to normal as soon as his entire system has experienced the feel of the arrow."  
  
"I see..." Keiko pulled back in thought.  
  
"...well, as long as he isn't going to act like Botan for more than a minute..." Hiei grunted, a slight shiver veiling his spine at the thought. "...then fine..."  
  
"GAH!!" Kurama growled, snapping instantly from his mad hysterics and jerking everyone's stunned gaze...let Jiaanti, who merely watched on in solace. The boy collapsed to his knees in utter agony as the stinging of the arrow plagued his tender, half-swollen wrist, blood still slipping from the open gash. "ACK!" he snarled in pain, bowing downward and quivering as his body took in the immense pain rooted at his wrist and swelling throughout his entire system.  
  
"What's happening to him?!" Kuwabara blinked in shock at Kurama's sudden mood swing from glee to sheer agony. Sweat broke loose in rippling droplets from the humanoid's face, his emerald stare wide from the pulsing pain chaffing within him, betyond his reach, under the flesh and stinging in his very veins.  
  
"After the momentary hysteria, the metal still must escape the bloodstream to brace at the skin...the entire point of this weapon is to harden the flesh."  
  
"But, you said he'd go back to normal!" Yusuke scowled.  
  
"He's no longer caught in hysterics...he is now back to the normal Suichi you all know and love...but, normal as he is, he is now in pain at his veins rip to allow the metallics through."  
  
"WHAT?!" Yusuke and Kuwabara gaped in unison. "His veins are ripping?!"  
  
"It is the only way," Jiaanti's tired eyes pressed shut as Kurama's screams echoed louder, insane pulses ripping through his veins and arteries.   
  
"How, pretell, is he supposed to remove this thing?! It's like, mutated into his system!!" Yusuke growled as Keiko braced against him in fear, the Detective subconsciously binding her to his side with his left arm, his right still limp at his side.  
  
"He kept the tail of the arrow exposed..." Jiaanti answered without much emotion. "...that tail keeps control of the entire weapon...when he jerks it out, though the rest of the arrow's body has disintegrated into him, it will be unstable for his body to stand, and it will exit him."  
  
"It better!" Yusuke threatened, before being whapped upside the head by the brunette laced to his side.  
  
Kurama gasped chaffed breaths of agony as he tried to remain calm, but his veins snapped and his arteries tore...had he been a normal human, without tamed Spirit Energy to keep him alive, he would have died instantly from the smoldering pain of the immense internal bleeding. His eyes stung with tears of physical torment, burning red against his emerald glare.  
  
Suddenly, an eerily calming glow of green escaped him, and engulfed his panting form...an unnatural breeze combed through his bushy mane, and he was enticed to a stand. His leer gaped and the whites of his eyes smoldered in the cool glow of minty-emerald. The tears broke loose from his broadened eyes, and streaked in face in gentle streams. There he stood, calmed and silenced of his pained screams, his Spirit Energy just barely keeping him alive.  
  
The glow of his energy brought a strange sense of solaceness to the cavern, his gleam licking light to the jags of stone wall, floor, and ceiling circling him. He was so at peace, standing half-steadily with his glowing Spirit Energy warming his tattered form. The glare of the gentle light stained onto the faces of Jiaanti, Hiei, Yusuke, Kuwabara, Yukina, and Keiko, a gentle gleam that cast shadows over the crevices of their features. The entire cavern was dark let the fox's glow, the engulfed their fronts in light and their backs in shadow.  
  
"His energy is keeping him alive as he bleeds from the inside..." Hiei breathed in awe of the glorious glow. "Is this supposed to happen?" he cast his narrowed ruby glare for the side, towards the calm she-fox watching her son.  
  
"No...normally the veins close the instant the metal escapes the skin..." she breathed. "...but, that's what happened to Ryooki, and other demons...Kurama is too human right now...I really don't know what will happen to him."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: hey there! Whadidya think, eh? Was it good? *gasp* was it bad?! How was it?! Tell me!!  
  
Kurama: ow! *winces, covers ears*  
  
Anemone: oops...oh yeah, haha...erm, well...Kurama's ears are still pretty swollen *glares at Hiei* so no one get me hysterical or else I might scream and make it worse lol.  
  
Hiei: he deserves it!  
  
Anemone: oh Hiei, c'mon...it couldn't have been that bad...  
  
Hiei: *glare*  
  
~*flashback to right after tree collapses*~  
  
Kurama: *having successfully run away* YES! haHA!!  
  
Hiei: *being dragged away, clawing the ground* OH MY GOD!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!  
  
Kurama: *yells, but the girls can't hear him because he's so far off...only Hiei can hear him* WHO CAN'T HANDLE A FEW NINGEN FEMALES NOW, EH HIEI?! HAHAHA!  
  
Hiei: DAMN YOU, KURAMA! I AM GONNA KILL YOU!!  
  
Fan girls: if we can't have Suichi, we can still have his cute loner best friend!! *evil laughter*  
  
Hiei: GAH!! HELP ME!! SOMEONE!! ANYONE!! I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHO JUST HELP ME!! AHHHHHHHHHH!!  
  
Kurama: *behind another tree, watching Hiei being dragged away* hmm...maybe I should help him...*brief pause* Hell no! If I try they'll get me for sure!! *walks off*  
  
Hiei: WON'T SOMEBODY HAVE A F***ING HEART AND F***ING RESCUE ME?!? THEY STOLE MY KATANA, AND THEY BOUND MY LEGS!! I CAN'T F***ING GET AWAY!!  
  
~*cuts off flashback*~  
  
Anemone: -okay, look...as interesting as this is, Hiei, *Hiei glares* people have lives to live and reviews to send--hinthint--and, you can start off the next chapter telling us who exactly saved you. Now say your line.  
  
Hiei: you make demands of me when you don't even hear me out?!  
  
Anemone: uh, yeah, yeah I do.  
  
Hiei: I refuse! You lack a heart, Mones!  
  
Anemone: look who's talking! I'm sure if you had your Katana with you during this little horror story of yous, I wouldn't have been able to bail you out of jail again, you're so merciless!  
  
Hiei: ooh, Touche, ningen...  
  
Anemone: look, if you say your line...I'll buy you a corndog and some chips...sound good?  
  
Hiei: *brief pause as he thinks this over* make it two corndogs, tostitos, and a strawberry cone and I might.  
  
Anemone: *sigh* if it wasn't for your obvious trauma, I wouldn't even consider doing this...fine, I'll make it two corndogs, tostitos and a strawberry cone.  
  
Hiei: YES!! IN YOUR FACE, KURAMA!  
  
Kurama: OWW! *glares through the pain of his numb ears*  
  
Anemone: say the line, Flames...  
  
Hiei: hn? Oh, that...go review. Okay done can I have my food now?  
  
Anemone: okay get your cloak and lets go to the corner store...Kurama, you want anything?  
  
Kurama: *moaning* aspirin...extra strength aspirin...  
  
Anemone: okeey dokeey...*turns to readers* don't worry...if you wanna hear the rest of Hiei's little 'adventure', make sure to stay tuned for the next chapter...the mystery of his survival will be revealed!  
  
Hiei: *rolls eyes, he and Kurama already out the door and waiting in the hallway* ningen, food!  
  
Anemone: oh, right...*grabs purse* gotta go buy Hiei some food and Kurama some aspirin...latr! 


	30. The Awaited Battle

Anemone: yo! Okay, where we left off, lol, Hiei had demanded food of me and he was cut off from his "traumatizing" memory of the day...well, we're back from the cornerstore, and with Hiei fed, he's gonna explain how he managed to get away from Kurama's fangirl mob.   
  
*~flashback~*  
  
Hiei: *still being dragged, now in the street...people are fearfully avoiding the intimidating mob and ignoring his screams* DAMMIT!! Stupid Kurama...he, will, PAY...  
  
Random old woman: that poor young man! I do hope someone rescues him...  
  
Hiei: *gives up, lets his cheek and flopped arms drag on the ground* ...this city sucks...no one helps someone in need...they're all gonna burn in hell, along with these BITCHES!  
  
Red-headed fan girl: *kicks him in the face* HOW DARE YOU!  
  
Hiei: BITE ME!  
  
Brunette fan girl: *steps on his back* SHUT UP!  
  
Hiei: *really pissy mumbles, folds arms, is still being dragged on his stomach through the street* ...my GOD this feels like that time Mones and I had to go back into her school after hours to get her notebook, and the janitor locked us in the closet because he mistook us for thieves and lost the key so he couldn't let us out and it was her 'time of the month'...God that was the scariest three hours of my LIFE...  
  
Blonde fan girl: who's Mones?! *gasp* IS SHE YOUR GIRLFRIEND?!  
  
*entire mob freezes and looks at Hiei...Hiei blinks awkwardly*  
  
Hiei: *side glances away* uh...*evil smirk, does what Mr. Krabs did on that episode of Spongebob he thought he killed the health inspector* y-eeeeeeeeeah...  
  
~*cut off*~  
  
Anemone: you said WHAT?! I'm not your girlfriend!!  
  
Kurama: *moan* Hiei, you idiot...  
  
Hiei: *glare* Be quiet!  
  
~*back to flashback*~  
  
Mob: *starts crying* WAAAAAAAAA!! NOT ONLY IS SUICHI TAKEN-  
  
Hiei: -gah!! *a lot of noise, covers ears* SHUT UP!...  
  
Mob: -BUT SO'S HIS CUTE, LESS-CUTE-THAN-HIM BEST FRIEND!!  
  
Hiei: SHUT U-what the hell do you MEAN "LESS-CUTE-THAN-HIM"?!  
  
Black-haired fan girl: *whispers to a strawberry blonde fan girl* he's a little egotistical...not NEARLY as polite and humble as Suichi!  
  
Hiei: ...you're actually comparing me to that traitor?! UGH! I am gonna KILL HIM!!...  
  
Bluette fan girl (no, not Botan): *carrying his Katana* hmm...this thingy is wierd...  
  
Hiei: *pricks in an evil idea, smirks, turns towards the bluette, STILL being dragged on his stomach* wanna see how to use it?  
  
Bluette fan girl: huh?  
  
Hiei: it's really really really really really really cool...  
  
Bluette fan girl: *shifty eyes, really tempted* uh...well...  
  
Hiei: c'mon...only an expert like myself knows how to use it properly...wanna see?  
  
Bluette fan girl: uh...uh...  
  
Hiei: *teeth gritting as he attempts to continue looking nice* do, it....  
  
Bluette fan girl: well...okay...*hands him the Katana, with the speed of light his slices through the bindings around his ankles and runs away*  
  
Hiei: YES!! Thank God they had an idiot guarding my weapon! *evil laughter* Now to find Kurama...and KILL HIM...  
  
*low echoing of running grows behind him, the fan girl mob is hot on his heels*   
  
Hiei: What the-?! Oh crap!   
  
*blurs in his dash, but the women seem to have demonic speed...for this, unfortunetly for Hiei, and especially because he doesn't know this, is Kurama's DEMON fan girl mob...well, actually, some are low level demons and some are human...yes, Kurama's good looks are murderously popular everywhere! Of course these demons aren't the most educated and think he really is a human named Suichi*   
  
Hiei: SHIT!! *runs faster*  
  
*skids at a corner, runs desperately into the turn...a manhole from below is open...an arm reaches out, clasps his ankle, and drags him in*  
  
Hiei: AHH! *collapses into the hole just as the fangirl mob runs by...Hiei's dangling by his ankle from his rescuer's hand in the sewer* Who the hell are you?!  
  
~*cut off flashback*~  
  
Anemone: well, *snicker* this intro is WAY too long...good thing the chapter's gonna be long...I hope...sorry if it ain't...Hiei can finish his story after...*Hiei glares and mumbles about this being the third time his story was ignored*...Fox!  
  
Kurama: chapter 30, enjoy.   
  
Chapter 30: The Awaited Battle  
  
"Ah!" Botan breathed a faint gasp. "Kurama..." she laced her delicate ivory hand over her heart. "He...he's hurting! No! I can feel his agony...he's dying!"  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"AHHHH!!" Kurama screamed a deafening scream of sheer, chaffing pain, his emerald Spirit Energy engulfing him entirely. His eyes still gaped and glowed with an eerie green light at the whites, choking the brilliance of his irises.   
  
"What the hell do you MEAN you don't know what's going to happen to him?!" Yusuke growled viciously at the calm Jiaanti.  
  
"Detective," she scolded. "Take solace! He is still part demonic...his Spirit Energy will keep him alive-"  
  
"-but you don't know that for sure!" Kuwabara snarled. Keiko and Yukina could only watch on in horror as Kurama wavered between consciousness...and the state of life just before death.  
  
"Kurama..." Hiei watched on with difficulty as the Kitsune trembled despite himself. "...you have to survive this...you still must fight Grapko...remember why you are here..."  
  
Kurama was lost within himself...his dagger sharp ears where deaf to Hiei's soft, encouraging words. His thoughts were numb against his emotions...he was so engulfed in calm pain, he couldn't focus on the importance on his survival. He was in so much horrifyingly murderous agony, he even forgot of Hiei...Yusuke, Kuwabara...Yukina, Keiko...Jiaanti...Shiori...Botan. All his thoughts and memories escaped him, he was forced to focus so hard on himself, on the pain...he subconsciously was deciding to give in, to ignore reality and to fall into the calmness that death ensured.  
  
"No!" Hiei quickly realized Kurama's hidden motives, and blurred to the fox's trembling left side. The dragon braced his arms against Kurama's, dragging them both to their knees...Kurama was only a fourth aware of Hiei's presence. "Kitsune!" Hiei roared. "Kitsune! Kurama, Kurama! Listen to me! Listen!"  
  
Kurama was lost in the pain, not even able to conjure up another shout of agony it was that numbing against his lungs and throat.  
  
"Suichi Minamino!" Hiei screamed in desperation for Kurama to comprehend...he was so far within himself, Hiei's shouting words were muffled breaths to the Fox's knowledge.  
  
"You must remember! You must remember why you're here!" the dragon growled, shaking the unaware humanoid Kitsune in frustration and burning his flaming energy into his clutch at Kurama's upper arms. "You can't give in to that arrow! You're tougher than it is! Come ON, Fox!!"  
  
"Kurama!" Yukina rushed to Hiei's side, laying a gentle hand to the dragon's shoulder as she carressed the pained red-head with an icy touch, as to tempt him back to reality...Hiei pricked at her presence beside him. "Kurama, please wake up!" she whimpered as she stroked his sweating, heated brow with a cool palm.  
  
"Kurama! Remember Botan?" Keiko crouched by the Fox's side, combing a tuft of ruby hair behind his ear. "Please! You have a purpose! Don't die! Please don't die!"  
  
"C'mon, Kurama!" Hiei snarled loudly, trying in desperation to reach Kurama within himself.  
  
"Please! You must wake up!" Yukina forced a little more iciness to her fragile touch.  
  
"Don't die! Please don't die!" Keiko whimpered as she brushed his disheveled mane from his brow.  
  
"Fox Boy, you're not gonna let some stupid arrow kill you, are you?!" Yusuke growled, now crouched beside Keiko and clasping a firm hand of support to his friend's shoulder.  
  
"Kurama, you're more of a man than any of us! Now act like one!" Kuwabara kneeled at opposite side of Hiei, clenching to Kurama's barren shoulder and gripping his little energy into the fox's muscle.  
  
Kurama was trapped inside himself, nestled within the pain...his veins and arteries snapped and cracked, and only his slipping energy kept him from drowning in blood. But, something happened. His numb face...he felt a twinge of a cool sensation to one cheek...it was soothing at first...but then, it began to inflate in coldness, stunning a shock of briskness to one side of his chin. 'w...what...?' he managed to formulate one, single, tangible thought through the intense pain. 'w...what's happen...happening...?'  
  
"Kurama!" an echoed tone rang the Fox's senses. 'Hiei?'  
  
"Please wake up!" a soft whimper of an echoing coo caused his inner self to blink in surprise. 'Yukina...?'  
  
"Wake UP, dammit!" 'Yusuke,' Kurama snickered in his mind. 'What is happening?' suddenly, the iciness plaguing his chin stung even colder, nearly numbing him. 'Gah! Why is my chin so cold?!' and that's when other sensations began to overtake him. He felt a gripping clutch tighten at his right shoulder...a looser grip at his right was stinging in calming energy...his upper arms singed with flaming grips...and his right temple was being stroked by a delicate touch, his hair being wiped aside.  
  
"You have to remember!" he heard Hiei growl. "You cannot die! You must save Botan!"  
  
"Wha..." he managed to gurgle vocally. His eyes, stunned wide and flushed with Spirit Energy just a moment prior, blinked in sagging exhaust, the whites dimming of the shockingly bright glow and returning to normality. "B...Botan...where, where is Botan?!" he jerked to a steady sit, the entire group staring at him in shock. Suddenly, the silence broke, and Kuwabara, Yukina, Yusuke, and Keiko all dove at him in a forceful hug, Hiei slipping out just in time before being pinned to the floor. Kurama, however, wasn't as lucky...the stunned fox was jerked downwards under the weight of his friends. "What the-?!" he managed to stutter as the half-crying, half-joyful group meshed him into the stone floor. Hiei snickered at the display.   
  
"You had us worried for a moment, Kitsune," the dragon smirked down at the confused Kurama hidden under the array of their companions. Kurama merely cast wide eyes of bafflement at the standing dragon, wondering why he wasn't on his feet, but rather beneath his friends.  
  
'His veins are healed...' Hiei realized as he studied Kurama's form with his Jagon. 'His Spirit Energy managed to close the open gashes in his blood stream...amazing.'  
  
"See? He's fine...and you were worried," Kuwabara scoffed when he tore apart from the heap of Urimeshi team members.  
  
"Shut up, Kuwabaka..." Yusuke growled when he too had unraveled from his grip to Kurama's neck.  
  
"YOU shut up, ya IDIOT..." the rival punk snarled in response.  
  
"Kazuma, calm down..." Yukina gently sat up from her hug about Kurama.  
  
"You too, Yusuke!" Keiko grunted when her arms slipped from the Fox's stomach. And there Kurama lay in confusion...he had been pinned to the ground, hugged until his lungs were shiveled from lack of air, and left with his back against the smooth stone floor while his friends seethed in an argument above him.   
  
"Okay..." he breathed in confusion. 'What an awkward experience...the first thing they do is pin me to the ground and then slip away yelling at each other...'  
  
"I take it his fusion with the arrow is complete?" Hiei threw his narrow ruby glare for the calm, tired Jiaanti...pure worry had plagued her throughout Kurama's ordeal.   
  
"Yes, he is now perfectly fine...the only difference from before in his tougher skin," she smiled.  
  
"Good," Hiei grunted. "This little ordeal had better be worth it, She-Fox."  
  
"Whatever happened to the proper title?" she smirked. Hiei in turn side-glanced her with a soft grunt.  
  
"Now I know where Kitsune gets his witty sarcasm."  
  
"Indeed," she countered softly, slowly twisting on her heels for the darkness beyond.  
  
"Mother?" Kurama breathed faintly from behind as he kicked up to an Indian style sit.   
  
"You needn't my presence any longer, Kurama," she smiled over her slender, pale shoulder. "I'd best be getting along into hiding...continue onward into the unknown caverns, my son, and you shall find Grapko." With that, she combed her slick hand through her bushy mane, and, with a flick of her slender tail, she stepped onward into the caverns abandoned by the Urimeshi team prior.  
  
"Thank you...Mother."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Oh, dammit!" Botan growled as her rusted shackles broke the delicate ivory flesh at her slim wrists. "Kurama..." her tiny voice breathed faintly. "I miss you so much...please don't do anything stupid just to save me!"  
  
"Coming here in general was stupid of him," the wolf snarled through his stunningly white fangs as he peered down at his captive with lusty golden stares. "He must really love you, Irritating One."  
  
"Call me by my name!" she grunted in defense.  
  
"As far as I'm concerned, your name is Irritating One..." he smirked. "...but, I must say...after a while of your annoying babbling, you can be somewhat tolerable..."  
  
"I'm not going to accept that compliment from my ENEMY!" Botan countered, and paused briefly in thought. "Wait...I don't babble annoyingly! What the hell kind of compliment is that?!"  
  
"Don't make me hit you again..." the wolf's violent golden eyes narrowed lower in frustration. "Shut up or be knocked yet again into unconsciousness..."  
  
"HURUMPH!!" she huffed, threading her slender arms in a tight fold. "How dare you!"   
  
Grapko wrinkled his nose in annoyance. "I'm leaving...be aware the battle will be in this cavern once he arrives...you may be in crossfire if you're not a good little hostage..." Botan could only steal a slightly sharp gasp of air at his convincing threat. 'Kurama...' she softly engulfed her thoughts back on her beloved humanoid Kitsune.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Careful there, Red..." Yusuke smiled as he assisted Kurama to a wavering stand. The fox's head swam in dizziness and exhaust, the new height of his stand causing him a sensation of wooziness. "Just lean on my shoulder til you can take it on your own feet, Kurama."  
  
"Thank you, Yusuke," Kurama flashed a tired Suichi smile. "But I am...I'm..." he collapsed to the ground in his attempt to stand firm on his own, landing on his upper back and flashing a tired wince. "...not ready yet..."  
  
Kuwabara snickered as he hoisted the fox up, Kurama's arm coiled behind the punk's neck. "Don't try just yet...Yukina sweety, wanna heal Kurama?"  
  
"There's nothing for her TO heal, ningen," Hiei grunted. "Kurama's perfectly fine...he's simply tired and lacking slightly in Spirit Energy...AGAIN...give him a moment or two and he'll be suitable on his own terms."  
  
"Right," Kurama smiled. "I'm fine, just a little dizzy."  
  
"Well then let's go...Kurama, can you walk with some support?" Keiko inquired softly.   
  
"I'm sure I can," he again grinned his signature smile. "Let us continue on, then...no point in lingering for my own pains...we've still another battle to deal with."  
  
"Rightio!" a voice that belonged to none of the current group piped from behind.  
  
"Hinegeshi?!" Hiei was lost of his cocky composure as he whirled around to face his scarlet-haired vixen. "What the hell are you doing here?!"  
  
"Koenma made me come back," she shrugged. "I flew all the way back to his office, and he ordered me to accompany you all...by the time I got back, you guys apparently had already fought about three-hundred demons."  
  
The entire group side-glanced for Kurama, who chuckled awkwardly. "I didn't kill ALL of them..."  
  
"You might as well have," Yusuke smirked.  
  
"You're in danger here, Hinegeshi!" Hiei growled.  
  
"I know! But so are all of you!"  
  
"Well, technically yes, but still!"  
  
"It wasn't my place to argue against Koenma! That's what Ogre's there for..." Hinegeshi huffed primly, Hiei's head bowing in tired defeat.  
  
"But Hinegeshi...!" he half-snarled in annoyance.  
  
"C'mon, Flames! The more the merrier!" Yusuke chuckled...Hiei instantly curled his clenching grip into the Detective's collar, glaring with threateningly ruby stares.  
  
"Don't even scoff, human! If anything, it should only be Kurama, you, and myself in these caves...the rest of are current group shouldn't be here!"  
  
"HEY!" Kuwabara roared. "Why didn't you include me?! I'm just as useful and important to the team as you three!"  
  
"Keep believing that, ningen..." Hiei smirked. "Dreams are an essential crutch for the weak."  
  
"SHORTY...!" the punk growled. "You are SO dead!"  
  
"Actually Kuwa, I agree with Hiei..." Yusuke smiled.  
  
"URIMESHI, YOU SUCK!!"   
  
"BOYS!" Hinegeshi, Keiko, and Yukina barked in unison, the three instantly jerking to face his girl.  
  
"Er...yes...?" they cowered slightly...Hiei at Hinegeshi, Yusuke at Keiko, and Kuwabara at Yukina.  
  
"Please, everyone...calm down..." Kurama breathed sternly. "We've more important matters to attend to...Hinegeshi," he slowly cast his gentle gaze to the short ferry girl. "You must be careful, understand? We cannot risk anyone's safety, you must promise to be aware of the murderous danger lurking throughout the entirety of Mount Shiverku."  
  
"I do! I'll be careful!" she nodded friskily.  
  
"Very well...then you may join us," he pressed his glare shut for a moment, unraveling his lean against Kuwabara and standing firm for himself. His eyes then flashed open, a stunning shade of emerald that caused gasps of shock at his murderously narrow glare. "Let's go."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"He's coming..." the wolf smirked. "Beautiful..."  
  
"Kurama!" Botan breathed faintly in her utter worry.   
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
The entire group journeyed onward in silence...Kurama fronted the group...next, was Yusuke, with Keiko at his side...behind them Kuwabara stalked along with the delicate Yukina beside him...and at the rear walked Hiei and Hinegeshi.  
  
"Hiei..." she breathed softly, a soft crimson staining the slope of her nose.  
  
"Hn...?" he grunted, his throat wavering in the deepest depths. 'What's she going to say...?' he dreaded her coming words, having grown to expect the worst with every situation.  
  
"You're hurt." she seemed somewhat worried at his condition. He pricked slightly...the awkwardness of this entire situation was unbearable for both dragon and deity.   
  
"Not very badly..." he swallowed a chaffing lump in the back of his throat. 'damn human emotions! What is wrong with me?!'  
  
"Erm, okay then." she cut the topic smoothly, giving in to silence. Hiei too, refused to speak unless she ventured into conversation first. 'so much to tell her...dammit! Stupid English limitations...there aren't enough words!'  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Grapko licked his teeth and growled a smirk, his charcoal ear flicking against the top of his head. "In mere moments, my Irritating Hostage, your beloved will be upon us!"  
  
"Kurama..." she whimpered in fear. "No...stay back!" tears threatened to streak her ivory face. "He'll kill you..."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Kurama's nostrils flared as a scent loomed his lungs...his eyes bulged wide in realization, and he bolted. The group was hesitant, but then too sprinted after him.   
  
"What is it, Kurama?" Yusuke panted in his dash with Keiko's hand intwined with his own as to prevent her from trailing behind.  
  
"I smell Botan! In the next cavern!" he breathed faintly, his speed beyond the norm.   
  
Suddenly, the fox skid to a halt just at the cavern's mouth. Darkness engulfed it's entirety...let a single light that slithered through from the outside of the mountain...and painted across the delicate figure of...Botan.   
  
The moment froze as raspberry locked into emerald. Kurama's breaths were hard, Botan's breaths were harder. He slowly allowed his gaze to wander about her fragile form...just the way he had left her from earlier that day...midnight navy jeans that wore to her figure perfectly, a loose powder blue sweatshirt, and her signature bouncy ponytail...what angered him were her bleeding wrists.   
  
She too examined him in that silenced instant...he looked like he had risked so much. His khakis were thrashed in the shins and soaked in scarlet. His teal shirt was torn and snagged, sponged in redness. His temple was scuffed and sweat glossed over his brow. But the relief of seeing him alive was beyond what she could have asked for.  
  
"Botan..." he whispered a coo.  
  
"Kurama..." she cooed a whisper.  
  
"Botan!" he shouted vivaciously, sprinting off into the dimness of the cavern.   
  
"Kurama!" she cried in desperation as he approached her with unbelievable speed.  
  
"Kitsune look out!" Hiei called into the darkness while skidding to a halt from his jog...the others, too, just reached the open cavern. Before Kurama could obey Hiei's warning, a frame of knuckles linked into his right rib-cage and sent him flying in a forced jerk to the left...into a jagged wall. Clouds of dust and splinters of stone sputtered in all direction from his cracking impact to the rock...through his tight, quivering wince, his brilliantly emerald glare managed to catch a glimpse of the one who cause it all...the source of all of his and Botan's pain...the man worth no more than murder...Grapko, father of Kurama.  
  
"Well boy...aren't you going to fight me?" he smirked.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: okay Hiei REALLY want's to finish his story...  
  
~*picks up where it left off*~  
  
(Hiei got pulled into an open manhole)  
  
Rescuer: *in the shadows, slowly comes into the light*  
  
Hiei: AHH! ANOTHER NINGEN FEMALE!! *note: he still doesn't realize the mob was part demonic*  
  
Rescuer: HI HIEI! I'm Anneliese!! I'm your BIGGEST fan!  
  
Hiei: huh?! Aw dammit...! Dealing with Kurama's fan girls was tiring enough, to say the least...but my OWN?  
  
Anneliese: a 'thank you' would be appreciated.  
  
Hiei: why...?  
  
Anneliese: because I just saved you from that nasty mob!  
  
Hiei: hn...  
  
Anneliese: mua-ha-ha! You are now in debt to me because I just saved your life!  
  
Hiei: *still dangling by his ankle, looks up at her* Uh, no.  
  
Anneliese: teehee yes you are!  
  
Hiei: the hell makes you say that?!  
  
Anneliese: I know for a fact you hate being in debt to someone, you always pay your owes!  
  
Hiei: DAMMIT...how did you know that?!  
  
Anneliese: I watch the T.V. show Yu Yu Hakusho!  
  
Hiei: *long pause* what does some T.V. show have to do with me...?  
  
Anneliese: you're one of the main characters!  
  
Hiei: what the hell are you talking about?!  
  
Anneliese: it's an anime show that is very popular and that I watch DAILY!  
  
Hiei: ani-me...? What the hell are you babbling on about you ningen stalker?!  
  
~*end flashback*~  
  
Kurama and Anemone: LOL!  
  
Hiei: shut up! Anneliese expects me to fulfill my debt...*shiver*  
  
Kurama: what did she ask of you?  
  
Hiei: she...she's...  
  
Kurama: allow me to at least know why you're so mad at me, please...  
  
Anemone: *snicker*  
  
Hiei:...every time I'm not here, she wants me to be her pet!  
  
Kurama and Anemone: *reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally long pause, side glance each other in silent shock, look back at the angry Hiei*...LOLLOLLOL!!  
  
Hiei: *growl* SILENCE! This is all your fault, Kurama!  
  
Anemone: lollol...okay, another chapter completed...and hopefully Hiei's whole situation won't be as bad as he thinks...Flames! Line!  
  
Hiei: *still pretty pissed* go review or TASTE MY KATANA!  
  
Kurama: er, my fault he's so mad! Don't worry readers, you'll be fine...  
  
Anemone: latr, fans! 


	31. Yoko Reborn

*Anemone's room...Hiei's decided to move in...Kurama is trying to calm Anemone down in the hallway, who's REALLY getting sick of him*  
  
Anemone: I CANNOT BELIEVE HIM!  
  
Kurama: Mones, please-!  
  
Anemone: I mean, why can't he give Anneliese what she wants?! I'm sure after dealing with him for a few days she'll be sick of him...I KNOW I AM...!  
  
Kurama: he's only been here for a week! What has he done to annoy you this much?!  
  
Anemone: *growl* he sleeps in the tree outside and is constantly breaking in my house in the late night hours to raid my fridge while making a LOT of noise once he's in the hallway and THINKS he won't wake me up, he's incredibly irritatible when he wakes up at noon every day and barks orders at me even more often than usual, he's stalked some of my neighbors REALLY late at night, who, by the way, think he's my crazed boyfriend and want me to get rid of him, he practiced his Katana on my neighbor's prize-winning bamboo garden who now blames ME and expects ME to pay for the damage, he listens to the SAME song over, and over, and over, and over, he's stained my grandmother's quilt with salsa, he's dubbed my bed as his nap place, and he stinks up my bathroom after his training sessions! ...jeez why the hell would Anneliese WANT him, anyway?!   
  
Kurama: erm...my, that is a tad annoying, isn't it? But, it isn't that much...  
  
Anemone: -it is if it's his daily schedule! He's done ALL that, at least ONCE every day! Look at my grandmother's quilt! *holds up really spicy smelling, very stained, formerly blue, green and purple quilt*  
  
Kurama: *clasps his sensitive nose from the really spicy scent* gah!...I see...did you not try hiding it from him...?  
  
Anemone: yes! But he says he likes to nap on it...MEANING, he eats chips and salsa on it then takes a nap with the half-full jar in his hands, spilling it! He does this whenever I'm out...and if I TRY to take the jar in his sleep he GROWLS! And he knows wherever I put my quilt, so avoidance of the staining is enivitable! *whimper, hugs the ruined quilt*  
  
Kurama: *gently takes the quilt, examines the stains* I'm sure Shiori can wash these right out, Mones...maybe dab on a little sprite to ease the stains and toss it right in the wash...  
  
Anemone: it isn't just the quilt! He is driving me NUTS!  
  
Kurama: but, you know Hiei pretty well...he's come over every day for months now...  
  
Anemone: yeah, but he'd only stay like two hours at a time! I've never actually had him LIVE here...!  
  
Kurama: why not approach him about your annoyances?  
  
Anemone: *sarcasm* gee, I don't know...maybe I fear his Katana!  
  
Kurama: you seriously think he'd strike you down if you asked him to leave?!  
  
Anemone: Kurama...this is Hiei...there's no doubt in my MIND he'd come after me! This house is his only sanctuary from Anneliese and he intends on staying here for the rest of his life! Or at least hers!  
  
Kurama: *heavy sigh, bows head, clasps her shoulders* Mones...talk to him...you obviously despise this arrangment...  
  
Anemone: you hate me, don't you?!  
  
Kurama: what?!  
  
Anemone: you apparently want me MURDERED!  
  
Kurama: huh?! No! I don't want you murdered, Mones! What on Earth gave you THAT idea?!  
  
Anemone: you advised me to go and actually CONFRONT him, Fox! That's freakin' suicide!!  
  
Kurama: *heavy sigh* I'll go with you...if he actually goes that far...I'll get court order to keep him away from you...sound good?  
  
Anemone: YES! Thank you!  
  
Kurama: great...*is about to escort Anemone back into her room...sees readers* Oh! I didn't see you there! Er...as you can see, we have some, 'issues' to work out-  
  
Anemone: -what a freakin' understatement!-  
  
Kurama: -you'd best just go into the chapter...it's all up and ready for you...chapter 31, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 31: Yoko Reborn  
  
Kurama gaped in fear at his father...the wolf...a long, sleek mane of untainted silver, jagged fangs, and piercing claws...he crouched in a low stance used specifically for the battling between animal breeds...he sneered menacingly at his humanoid son, a narrow glare of golden stinging into gaping emerald. "Fight me, boy!"  
  
Kurama was lost of composure and of words. 'he...he's faster than I remember...'  
  
"Get UP, Suichi! Fight me! Or else your little deity will be lost of her lover..."  
  
At the seething mention of Botan, Kurama instantly flashed wolf eyes to his crazed father, the wolf pricking slightly in shock. 'he's more wolf than he thinks...'  
  
Kurama instantly kicked up, and dove whole-heartily at his father. Grapko snarled at Kurama's coming, and lashed his claws for the angered teenager. What should have slit into his heart and lungs merely grazed his chest. 'gah?! Damn, I forgot...that blasted arrow's given him tougher skin to pierce!'  
  
"Interesting..." Hiei jut his lips in thought.   
  
"What is it?" Yusuke turned towards the narrow-eyed dragon, who seemed incredibly absorbed in the battle.  
  
"Kitsune must truly hate his father and lack all respect for him."  
  
"Well duh..." Kuwabara sneered. "How did you figure that out, Shorty?"  
  
"His fighting style, you moron...I already knew Kurama hated Grapko, but he must really lack any and all respect for him as an opponet to actually dive into battle without first studying Grapko's technique..."  
  
"...oh..." Kuwabara blinked.   
  
Kurama smirked slightly before diving to the floor...pressing his hands against the stone, he kicked off, and his feet linking with Grapko's jaw in his graced flip, sending the wolf to the ground with Kurama pinning him down. The son curled himself back and flipped off Grapko's stomach...the instant his feet skid to the ground, Kurama sprinted forward, his gnarled fist prepared to bash into his father's chin. The wolf, however, was ready this time.  
  
Grapko blurred from view, leaving a frustrated humanoid in the dead center of the cavern...open for attack. The wolf was right behind.  
  
"Gah! Kitsune! Behind you!" Hiei roared. Kurama jerked around just in time for the wolf to clench into his red hair and face.   
  
Kurama wriggled stubbornly in Grapko's tightening grip, the wolf pinching harder into his son's skull. Kurama growled a muffled yelp of pain, his eyes and nose pressed firm into his face by his father's palm. Grapko sneered deviously...before plowing Kurama head-first into the floor.   
  
"Ah!" Botan yelped in shock as she watched with fear and worry. "Kurama! No, that isn't fair, Grapko! You're cheating!"  
  
The group was stunned as Kurama's skull dented into the stone, the fully energetic Kitsune growling all the while while awaiting the right moment. Then, it came to pass...Kurama--still being shoved into the stone half a foot deep--slowly drew back his arms, and with a forced jerk straight down, dug his fingers into the stone, stopping him mid-plow. Grapko growled in annoyance...Kurama kicked against the wolf's chest, and flipped to a firm stand...there was only one scuff at his temple from that encounter to the floor. Kurama smirked calmly.  
  
Grapko snarled and growled in frustration...he blurred from view and dug his gripped knuckles into Kurama's stomach. The red-head grit his teeth from the pain, a clot of blood slipping into his clenching teeth and his stunned eyes narrowed. Kurama kicked back, ripping from Grapko's punch. A tender bruise swelled gray at the spot, but he didn't care...he needed to beat Grapko...he needed to win...he needed to get Botan out of here.  
  
Kurama roared ferociously as he sprinted for Grapko again...through his paced run, he stroked a hand into his hair, and shouted with a wavering voice "ROSE WHIP!" With a sting of energy to his lovely flower, the petals tore off and a long, spiked whip graced into the surrounding air. Kurama leapt into a jump high above Grapko's head, ready to strike downwards...the wolf grunted as a smirk tugged at his features...he blurred from his spot, and reappeared directly above Kurama.   
  
The wolf's large fist was about to dig into his son's neck...but Kurama had known Grapko would do this since before he called upon his whip. The fox whirled around just as the punch was about to dive for the back of his neck, lashed his whip around the wolf's wrist, and with a mighty heave, yanked Grapko below him as the two descended for the floor. With the shocked wolf just beneath him, Kurama performed a new, powerful trick with his whip. He gushed it with his energy, the whip now glowing in a stunning emerald gleam...it burned with the intensity of the sun, and Kurama lashed it down into Grapko with his most precise, hard-core slash ever to grace his use to the weapon. Grapko was slit into, a deep, gushing gash down his chest and stomach, singeing from Kurama's energy. The wolf collapsed motionlessly to the floor below, denting hard into the stone, dust and splinters of rock snapping off come impact. Kurama collapsed too, exhausted...and lacking of half his energy. He landed on his upper back, flopping on contact and rolling to his hip in one motion.  
  
"Kurama!" Botan gasped a yell for the still Kitsune.  
  
"Kitsune!" Hiei roared, blurring to the fox's side...Kurama was unconscious. 'that was a smart idea, Red...but not the smartest way to go about it...'   
  
"Well, well, Hiei..." a scoffing growl echoed from behind...Hiei pricked in utter fear, his expression gaping...'oh shit!'  
  
"How are you, my boy?" Grapko licked his teeth. "How's your mother?"  
  
Hiei snarled in the purest of hatred, whirling around viciously with his nimble hand to his Katana's hilt. "Be quiet, beast!"  
  
"I think I figured out your relations to the green-haired demonness," Grapko smirked deviously at the scared dragon.  
  
The dragon pricked...'oh no! Yukina!' Hiei instantly blurred into the air, running with the greatest of his strengths to reach Yukina before...suddenly, he skid from his sprint, a look of total fear and shock slapped across his gaping face...there stood a grinning Grapko...with Yukina clenched against his chest.  
  
"MMPF!" Yukina whimpered loudly through the wolf's hand cupped over her lips, kicking slightly, now that she was three feet off the ground.  
  
"YUKINA!!" Kuwabara roared in shock...Yusuke, Keiko, and Hinegeshi were wide-eyed at the passing happening...Grapko had out-run Hiei into reaching Yukina...and now the mint-haired beauty was meshed against his chest with his hands coiled about her fragile chin and mouth in the center of the cavern, ten yards away from where she had previously stood.  
  
"Kurama!" Hinegeshi called viciously into the cavern. "You have to wake up! You have to help Hiei!" Kurama remained motionless.  
  
"Unhand her, Wolf!!!" Hiei howled. "NOW!"  
  
"She's not your lover, I can tell..." Grapko smirked, gently stroking the side of her face and the girl quivered in stunned terror. "You two look too similar..."  
  
Hiei's glare was narrow as he growled in the depths of his throat.   
  
"I know..." he flared his nostrils as he gripped a sniff of her spiked hair. "You both smell like my former best friend..." he grinned. Yukina eyed Hiei in confusion. 'what?!' she thought.  
  
Botan quivered in her shackles at the scene. 'Yukina! No!'  
  
"You're right, Grapko," Hiei breathed calmly. "That's my little sister."  
  
The group pricked in shock...they had all known...but he actually admitted it?! The only person this was news for...was Yukina. She stared at him in the purest of shock. 'H-Hiei?! Hiei is my brother?!'  
  
"I knew it!" Grapko laughed. "You share a father in that traitor friend of mine! Since you are both his offspring, should I not dispose of you?"  
  
"You hurt her, Grapko...and you will die even slower and more painfully than I had originally planned for..." another voice stung into the air. Kurama...he was standing, and glaring with the narrowest, deadliest gaze he ever forced into his calm, human eyes...about his neck...strung the ruby.  
  
"How...How did you get that ruby?! You didn't have it before!" Grapko snarled.  
  
"Hn," Hiei grunted a smirk at the oblivious wolf. "You fool! While I was by his side, I snuck it to him."  
  
"You're screwed if he unleashes Yoko!" Yusuke sneered.   
  
Grapko pricked slightly in dread. 'He's become a much better fighter since I last fought him...and that was in his Yoko form, half a century ago! The strength Yoko must possess now, if his human counterpart is that strong...it must be equal to my own!'  
  
Kurama walked slowly into the scene...Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, and Hinegeshi were silent...Botan watched on in fear...Hiei stood firm, glaring ruby daggers at Grapko...and the ruby about the Kitsune's neck glowed fiercely.   
  
"Release her, Grapko, or I shall release Yoko," Kurama's eyes were murderous with the way he stared. "Now!"  
  
"You think I fear my hybrid son?!" Grapko growled. "You'd only be a threat to me if you were fully wolf...news flash! You're not! Your fox ancestry has made you weak in comparison to me!" and with that, the wolf clenched tight to Yukina's delicate neck, the girl crying out a muffled whimper of fear.  
  
"Yukina!" Hiei roared. "Unhand her! She's innocent!"  
  
"How is she?!" Grapko tightened his grip about her fragile form. "She is just as quilty as you are!"  
  
"No she isn't you moronic beast!" Hiei countered viciously. "I am the only offspring to your crush and your traitor friend...she merely shares a father with me...we've differing mothers, leave her be!"   
  
"What?!" Grapko gaped. "Your father dared cheat on my beloved ice demonness with another to have this little tramp?!" Hiei growled at the wolf's choice of words.  
  
"WHAT DID YOU JUST CALL HER?!" Kuwabara roared violently, about to charge into the cavern before Yusuke caught him in a firm full nelson. "LET ME GO, URIMESHI! LET, ME, GO!"  
  
"Kuwabara, calm down!" Yusuke wriggled hard to keep the angered youth at bay. "This is Kurama's fight...the only other one allowed to get involved is Hiei...we'll just make the chances worse, you idiot!"   
  
"I DON'T GIVE A DAMN URIMESHI NO ONE GETS AWAY WITH CALLIN' MY GIRL A TRAMP!!"  
  
"Our father did not cheat on my mother," Hiei glared insanely narrow ruby daggers at the wolf. "My mother died, and he simply remarried, having Yukina...she is not the threat to you that I am...your grudge is with me, you beast!"   
  
Grapko responded with a smirk and a slight pressure applied to Yukina's neck. Hiei and Kurama pricked slightly, growling in frustration. Yukina trembled in muffled cries.   
  
"Kurama!" Botan grunted. "Change into Yoko!"  
  
Finally, Grapko went too far...he slashed his claws against her delicate ivory neck.  
  
"YUKINA!!!!" Kuwabara wailed in pure sorrow and shock. The entire group was silent as the stunned girl collapsed for the stone floor...until, a blurred mass of blackness stained the air, caught her fragile form, and sped her back to the team. Hiei was trapped in utter rage as redness leaked from her gashed neck. The instant he tucked her delicate figure into Kuwabara's tender, gentle hold, he snarled and whirled around, prepared to unsheath his weapon...when four piercing claws dug into his stomach. Hiei's eyes flashed wide in pain as his kidney was fingered and blood sprayed from his torn flesh. The group gaped.   
  
"H-Hiei..." Yukina whimpered through her gushing sores at her neck. Hiei stood completely still, his expression monotonous and his eyes broad from the stinging pain.  
  
"No! Hiei!" Hinegeshi gasped in horror. Grapko smirked as he tore his claws from the dragon's stomach, Hiei instantly collapsing behind him into Yusuke's arms.  
  
"Flames!" Yusuke stuttered in fear at the unconscious demon in his hold.   
  
"My God, Hiei! Yukina!" Keiko squealed, stroking the Hiei's temple and clenching Yukina's fragile hand.  
  
"No! No, please, Hiei!" Hinegeshi whimpered, falling to her knees by the dragon's side. She gripped his hand firmly, tears threatening to streak her face. "Please! Wake up! Please Hiei!"  
  
Kurama stared in total disbelief, his emerald glare wide and his teeth clenched. "Yukina...Hiei..." the fox murmured in shock. The ruby was now pulsing madly in a shocking shade of scarlet.  
  
"Well, that's one grudge put to rest," Grapko sneered deviously. "The offspring of that traitor friend of mine...both dying."  
  
"How dare you!!" Kurama growled. "How dare you!! You slew two innocent people! They've nothing against you let your insanity!"  
  
"Hiei thinks differently," Grapko smirked.  
  
"He only justified your grudge because of his own inner pains! Pains you cause him! You're a beast!" Kurama roared. "You don't deserve to live!"  
  
"Now, really, boy! Is that any way to speak to your father?" Grapko grinned.  
  
"You're not my father!" Kurama countered violently. "My father was a good, honest man...he was a ningen named Minamino!"  
  
Botan stared at him in awe. 'Kurama...'  
  
Grapko simply glared. "This is why I hate you, Yoko...you're too human."  
  
"Well, we'll just see about that!" Kurama snarled. By now, the ruby glowed just as viciously as the last time he was about to transform into his Yoko form. Grapko grunted hard, not about to let Kurama the time to change into a stronger being. He sprinted off for his hybrid son, but just as his knuckles were about to bash into Kurama's chin, the boy's Spirit Energy flickered violently, and he was engulfed in a calming, yet burning aura, one that caused Grapko to step back from the overwhelming heat. The teenager's eyes were narrow, glowing entirely in the emerald brilliance of his ki.   
  
Glowing green energy stung at his scalp, and his flowing scarlet mane slicked smooth, staining from the roots straight to the ends in glossy silver. His ears slowly pinned against the side of his head, the flesh melting into itself...as his platinum mane fell over those now barren spots, dog like ears stretched from the crown of his head, flicking against his scalp in new exposure. With a crack of his neck, his spine stretched, as did his limbs...another foot was added to his stature. His once sagging pants were now just the right size, and his shirt tore with the slight increase of his compact muscle span. A mass of furry silver ripped through his pants bottoms, flicking against his leg...his bushy wolf-like tail. With a slow, calm blink, he opened his previously energy-saturated eyes to reveal narrow, piercing golden stares, even deadlier than those of Grapko's. The wolf stared in scared awe at Kurama's demonic form...feeling the dramatic increase in Yoko's energy level. The singeing aura about the smirking fox-wolf dimmed, and there stood the terror of the ages...the infamous...the powerful...the ingenious Yoko of Thieves.  
  
"What's wrong, Grapko?" came the raspy, low demonic tone from the teenager's devilish smirk. "Suprised to see me again? Well, dad, I'm back."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
*hallway in view, no characters seen*   
  
Kurama and Anemone: AHHHHH!!!! *runs out of her room into the hallway, Anemone behind Kurama, Kurama guarding her with his Rose Whip in hand...random objects being thrown at them from her room, Kurama lashing at them with his whip*  
  
Kurama: HIEI! CALM DOWN!  
  
Hiei: how can I?! I'm being kicked out of my only sanctuary!! I was already pissed at you, Kurama, but now you've just made me MADDER! *throws a lamp*  
  
Kurama: *still lashing things away with his whip* but the living conditions you're causing aren't acceptable to Mones! Think about how she must feel!!   
  
Hiei: *throws a book at them* I'm not mad at her I'm mad at YOU! You're the one who's telling me to leave! It isn't even your place to talk!  
  
Kurama: *knocks book away* but! Anneliese can't be that bad! You didn't even give her a chance!  
  
Hiei: anyone who wants me to pay back an owe by serving as her dog can't be good, Kitsune! *throws her radio-cd player*  
  
Kurama: *wide-eyed, catches radio-cd player* how do you know that?! I mean, for all you know she might have just picked a poor choice of words and she just wants you to do odd jobs for her or something!  
  
Hiei: i'm NOT going to be a slave for a human, Kurama! This is the only place I'm allowed to go to get away from her!  
  
Anemone: Hiei if you throw one more of my things I'm gonna kill you!!  
  
Hiei: *throws his Katana*  
  
Kurama and Anemone: AHHH!! *Kurama pins her to the floor as the unsheathed Katana stabs into the wall*  
  
Kurama: my God...he never usually gets this mad...  
  
Anemone: no freakin' duh!  
  
Kurama: *still on the floor with Mones* Hiei! I'll buy you an ice cream if you stop this little tantrum!  
  
Hiei: *brief pause, growling* damn weakness for ice cream...*sigh* Fine!   
  
Kurama: come on then, we'd better go to the shop now before it closes, Hiei...  
  
Anemone: *whispering* what are you doing, Fox?! He'll be SO pissed if you-  
  
Kurama: -Hiei never stays mad at me for long...he'll get over it...*stands up* come on, then, Hiei.  
  
Hiei: hn...very well.  
  
Anemone: *stares after them as they walk downstairs* Fox is dead...*covers ears*  
  
Hiei: *walks out door, forgetting that he's now vulnerable because he REALLY wants Ice cream, Anemone's house having run out* Hey...wait a second...KURAMA!!  
  
Kurama: *locks Hiei out* Quick Mones! Lock the windows!  
  
Hiei: *banging on door in fear* LET ME IN!  
  
Anneliese: *walking by, gasp* Hiei! You left Anemone's house!  
  
Hiei: AHH!!  
  
Kurama: *back against the door, holding it shut, yells over shoulder through door* Hiei, if you get it over with now, I'm sure it'll all end soon!  
  
Hiei: AHH! *being dragged away*  
  
Anneliese: come on! I'd like some Katana lessons today! Let's go!  
  
Hiei: KURAMA!!!  
  
Anemone: wow, Kurama..he sounds pretty mad...  
  
Kurama: *clears throat* yes, well...I think I'll need to hide out here for a few days until he cools off...  
  
Anemone: *snicker* right...but don't forget...you owe him an ice cream when he comes back...and I suggest you make it a pretty damn big one lol...  
  
Kurama: heh, right...  
  
Anemone: *turns to readers* since Flames is now officially the property of Anneliese *lol* I think I'll just be the one to tell y'all to go review...latrs!  
  
Kurama: goodbye.  
  
*p.s.: hey, fans! Go check out the new story "HIEI, PUTT PUTT, AND EVERYONE ELSE" by Flameology...also known as, Anneliese! lol yes, she's a real person and I fan of mine...I read her story and it's good, so check it out, ppl!* 


	32. The Clash of Father and Son

*Anemone's room...it's been a week since Hiei disappeared...Anemone and Kurama have been hanging out together, and decided to invite someone else over today...and the closest thing to Hiei is-*  
  
Vegeta: Woman, where's the kitchen?  
  
Anemone: hey!!  
  
Kurama: refrian from such crude labeling, Vegeta...  
  
Vegeta: *glare, growl*  
  
Kurama: erm...or not.  
  
Anemone: hmpf...it's downstairs, Cabbage.  
  
Vegeta: why does every woman I know call me that?! My Woman *Bulma*, Kakorat's Woman *Chi-Chi*, Kakorat's Spawn's Woman *Videl*, Kakorat's Spawn's Spawn *Pan*...  
  
Anemone: cuz you call us all 'woman'...if you call me Anemone, or even Mones, then I won't call you Cabbage, Cabbage.  
  
Vegeta: *grumble* ningens...*leaves room in search for the kitchen*  
  
Kurama: *whispering to Anemone* are you sure you can speak with Vegeta that way? I mean, yes, we are decent friends with him, but he is an elder...  
  
Anemone: *whispering back* -and Hiei isn't? Flames is like as old as Yoko...and yet we talk to Hiei the same way...lacking in any and all respect!  
  
Kurama: ...because Hiei is a more consistent visitor than Vegeta...we aren't as close to him as we are to Hiei.  
  
Anemone: oh well...they're practically the same person anyway...short, spiky hair, strong, and bad-tempered...Vegeta won't hurt me!  
  
Kurama:...what makes you so sure...?  
  
Anemone:...because YOU'RE here, silly!  
  
Kurama: *sweatdrop* errr...*dreads the potential danger of fighting a pissed-off Saiyan* ...  
  
Anemone: Fox!  
  
Kurama: hm?  
  
Anemone: line...  
  
Kurama: oh! Right...chapt-  
  
Vegeta: -hey, Woman...where do you keep the Sugar-Coated Butter Cookies?  
  
Anemone: the what-whats...?  
  
Vegeta: *annoyed sigh* nevermind...I'll find SOMETHING that fits my standards...I suppose...*leaves for kitchen again*  
  
Anemone: *turns to readers* don't get me wrong...Cabbage is great! He's very cool, one of my top 3 fav dbz characters...and he can be nice...ish....................but I miss Flames! *whimper* We haven't seen or heard from him in a week! And if he hasn't managed to escape from Anneliese by now to seek revenge on Fox *Kurama shivers at the thought of how pissed Hiei must be by now*, something is severely wrong!  
  
Kurama: why don't we go looking for him after the chapter?  
  
Anemone: *beams* great idea, Fox!!  
  
Kurama: we'd best get through this then...and I bet Vegeta will help too...he and Hiei go pretty far back.  
  
Anemone: awesome! *turns to readers* Don't worry, my loyal fans! Hiei will soon return to us! And we'll have Vegeta over more often, too...ooh!! I know! I'll have a party to celebrate Flames's return! I'll invite Miroku, and Mirai Trunks, and Sango, and Botan *Kurama beams*, and Cabbage, and Anneliese, and her cousin Ellen *the co-writer of the story I told you guys to check out*, and Vash, and Meryl, and Wolfwood, and Millie, and Goku, and Chi-Chi, and Flames-  
  
Kurama: -Mones!  
  
Anemone: yeah?  
  
Kurama: we can plan your party AFTER we find him...meaning, AFTER the story and AFTER we actually go looking.  
  
Anemone: oh. Uh, heh? Line!  
  
Kurama: *sigh* right. Chapter 32. Enjoy.   
  
Chapter 32: The Clash of Father and Son  
  
Yoko growled a half-rabid grunt behind an eerily calm smirk...it just about shook everyone up, sending shivers up their spines and ripples of goosebumps over their flesh. Yusuke took a wavering step back, dragging the unconscious Hiei slightly. Yukina whimpered and shivered violently in Kuwabara's hold, the punk unable to look at her without tears welling in his onyx eyes.  
  
"Yukina..." he whispered delicately, holding the bleeding demonness close.  
  
"I'm...I'm fine, K-Kazuma..." she stuttered through a fragile smile. Kuwabara only held her closer.  
  
"What's the matter, Father?" Yoko's devious smirk deepened viciously, his tone as monotonous as his expression calm and taunting. "Did you not suspect I'd make an appearance? Suichi is strong...but, hardly to your standards...he simply had no choice but to let the mut out to play."  
  
Grapko growled in the core of his throat...but then, a sneer of potential genious broke to his face. "Well, Yoko...now that you're in charge of the body, I suppose you won't mind if I dispose of the annoying deity, ne?"  
  
Yoko's dagger glare narrowed even sharper. 'Suichi is very much in love with that bluette...if I were to allow her demise, no doubt my slightly more reckless human counterpart would commit suicide, killing us both.' (a/n: um...I'm not sure if Yoko would just come back to life if Kurama committed suicide...but, according to this story, Yoko isn't strong enough to take over the body on his own, so if Suichi decides to kill himself, Yoko goes down too...don't flame me it that isn't probable! I'll shut up now. Continue!)  
  
'Damn straight I would!' Suichi roared, Yoko pricking slightly. 'What? Surprised? Did I not already say I wasn't about to let you take over completely, Yoko?'  
  
'Let me handle this, Suichi.'  
  
'I will...I must...but know this...if she dies, so will we...understand?'  
  
'The dominant personality makes the rules, I suppose...' the demon countered calmly to his humanoid self. 'very well...her safety is ensured.'  
  
'It better be, Yoko...' Suichi threatened lowly.   
  
"Touch her, and die," Yoko breathed calmly, though his platinum brows arched dangerously low over narrow golden eyes. 'Does that work for you, Suichi?' the mut smirked inwardly.  
  
'Live up to those words, and yes it will,' the human of the two smirked in return.  
  
"Oh, that threat worked AMAZINGLY well when you stated it for the safety of the sibling Koorimes," the wolf smirked.  
  
"You believed it a bluff?" Yoko's tone was low and lacking of sentimentality. "You truly lack a memory...you above all should know...I never bluff."  
  
Grapko grunted a menacing smirk...his form blurred against color, racing for the stunned Botan.  
  
"GAH! BOTAN!" Yusuke yelled into the battle field.  
  
Yoko glared devilishly, and sprinted off for the deity's direction. 'If you don't get to her, Yoko-'  
  
'-Silence, Suichi, I've got it covered...she won't die...'  
  
"AHHHH!!" Botan screamed as the wolf dashed straight for her. Her raspberry eyes pinched shut as she quivered against the stone wall. "HELP ME!!"  
  
Grapko grinned to expose his lustrously pearly fangs as he approached the terrified bluette. He slashed down his claws straight for her neck, about to rip viciously into her fragile, ivory flesh...when Yoko's violent kick met to Grapko's temple, the stunned wolf flying instantly for a violent jerk to the left. Yoko stepped softly to her side, completely ignoring her and her gaping stare up to his milky complection. "K...Kurama..."  
  
"I told you not to touch her...lucky I spared you from an immediate murder, eh?" the mut smirked at the pure-bred. Slowly, his stabbing eyes cast for Botan, sitting just to his side. "Suichi loves you very much...it wouldn't be in my best interest to allow you to die...for Suichi is dominant over the body, and would commit suicide over you...just know it's nothing personal between you and this current state of your little boyfriend...I just really don't feel like dying at my own hand."  
  
Botan simply blinked in response. "So...so, Kurama, Kurama DOES love me?!" she breathed in start.  
  
"Hn..." the mut grunted.  
  
Suddenly, with a slow blink, Yoko's eyes flashed to a gentle, soft glare of stunning emerald. Botan pricked at the sight...Yoko winced, his eyes stinging golden. 'no more interruptions, Suichi!' he growled the seething thought to his humanoid personality.  
  
'Sorry,' Suichi snickered. 'I'll leave you be now.'  
  
"Wow it must be wierd inside Kurama's head if he's got like two but like one person in him..." Kuwabara blinked in confusion.  
  
"Moron..." a chaffed, husked stutter escaped Hiei's quivering lips.   
  
"Looks like Flames is pretty much fine," Yusuke eyed the fire demon still gurgling to consciousness. "...he's still dissin' Kuwa...that's dedication for ya!"  
  
"Shut up, Detective..."  
  
"Oh Hiei!" Hinegeshi sighed in relief, clenching his hand firmly in both her own...Hiei in turn gripped back, a soft smile gracing his lips briefly, then he set his expression grave, deciding to dignify Kuwabara's accusation with the truth.  
  
"Kurama was one single spirit, one soul, that of the mut demon you see before you," he explained through rasps of breaths. "But, when he was reincarnated into a human, he ended up polishing a split personality...a human one, and the demonic one. Both are fully aware of the other's actions, and both are constantly in mild disagreement to full on war."  
  
"How do you know this?!" Yusuke eyed the fire Koorime in his grasp. Hiei cast an annoyed glare up at him.  
  
"Two reasons...he's my best friend, and I'm a telepath...I've actually heard some of his mental battles with himself...that's just how he's lived for the majority of his human life...Yoko doesn't give a damn about Botan's life...but our Suichi-Kurama is in there, probably yelling at Yoko to make sure Botan is alright...because if she isn't..." a brief pause stung the group to silence. "...we can guarantee that once Red is back in control...there may be a case of suicide."  
  
"What?!" Keiko and Hinegeshi pricked in unison. "He can't!"  
  
"He can...and probably will if Yoko doesn't keep on eye on Botan's well being."  
  
"HAI!" Yoko growled, his claws ready to dig straight for Grapko's throat.  
  
"That's wierd..." Yusuke blinked. "He isn't using any plants."  
  
"His father taught him half his plant techniques..." Hiei's tone was gruff and strained. "Though wolves aren't so great at them, he still knows Yoko's moves to a fault...all Kurama can mainly depend on in his cleverness and brawn...maybe a plant concoction at some point, but we've yet to see."  
  
Growls and snares rang rabid from father and son as the two bore their teeth in pearly grits. Grapko leapt vivaciously for the crouching Yoko, his claws ready to dig right for his son's collarbone. Yoko, however, dodged with the grace that only the mut Kurama could possess, instantly slashing at the wolf's upper back, bloody slits gushing of heavy masses. The wolf snarled dangerously, and swiped his fist for Yoko's stomach...as the frame of jagged knuckles stabbed into the mut's tender sore from before, pain stung Yoko's eyes wide, and they flashed emerald for the briefest of seconds before singeing back to the narrow gold that mirrored his father's.   
  
"He's not acting anything like the Yoko I've seen..." Kuwabara blinked as he gaped, remembering the dark tournament and Yoko's battle against Uriurishma (a/n can't spell lol but it's the guy with the fishing rod). "He's not nearly as calm."  
  
"Well obviously..." Hiei grunted through the pain of his bleeding stomach, still leaning in the Detective's hold. "Yoko was calmer then because his opponent was hardly worth his time...but now he's battling his own father, the one who made him so ruthless and dangerous...which is what he needs to be now...not tauntingly calm."  
  
Yoko tore away from Grapko's punch, hugging the spot greedily. With the mut's guard down, Grapko licked his fangs in a devious grin, slashing his claws into Yoko's face. Because of the mut's denser skin via Ryooki's arrow, only a few slits ran down the mut's cheek, but Yoko growled a rabid roar of anger nonetheless. The mut dodged punch after punch, slash after slash with timed grace and steps, though he seemed rather stunned at Grapko's enhanced speed. 'He's toying with me...he could go much faster...I just have to match his speed, and not to advance mine past his, that will only lead to his advantage...'  
  
And Grapko indeed enhance his speed. He kept up the pattern of attacks, though he was acting upon them faster. Yoko grunted in awed frustration with every dodge, the wolf's speed growing beyond Yoko's abilities. 'If I wasn't half fox, I'd the speed he possesses...damn! He's so fast!'  
  
Faster, faster every swipe Grapko took to his son, Yoko growing steadily too slow, each lash and punch just missed by a hair. 'Dammit, Yoko hold still!' Grapko thought angrily.   
  
And came the attack Yoko knew Grapko would perform...a kick, out of the blue. The mut instantly kicked to guard the wolf's leg, the two standing with laced attacks. They ripped apart at the exact instant, both pounding for the other in attack. Grapko slashed for Yoko's chest just as Yoko punched for the wolf's stomach. Both blocked the other's attempts, both failing in their own tries, both snarling in frustration.  
  
Yoko finally kicked off against the stone floor, landing gracefully just behind Grapko. Before the mut could whirl around with an attack of his dagger claws, Grapko dove downwards, jerking back up in a granite head-but to Yoko's stomach. Yoko winced and glared in anger, tearing apart from Grapko's skull. The wolf whirled to a firm stand, and lashed his ripping claws for Yoko's neck, this time issuing enough force to rip through the skin and tear into the pulse. But Yoko's flashing eyes saw him coming, and his dodged with a slight leap back, his chest just barely grazed with three breaks in the flesh. The mut wound his arms around Grapko's, instantly dragging the wolf down and digging his elbow into his father's face. He thread his arms away from the wolf's in a blink's motion, leaping upward into the air, and landing straight into Grapko's shoulder-blades. The wolf was smashed into the stone floor, another crater cracking on impact. Yoko kicked away from Grapko's trembling form, standing firm and ready for the wolf's next attack.  
  
Grapko slowly tore his face from the rock and debris his contact with the floor created, blood lacing his bruised features to the stone. His form blurred against the air and from Yoko's sight. The mut growled, eyeing all directions, when he felt the sensation of a presence just behind him.   
  
He dove to the floor as Grapko's fists crammed against eaqch other in an attempt to smash both sides of the mut's head. Yoko stabbed a kick against the wolf's chest, and eased away from the wolf in a firm stand. Yoko then dashed straight for his father, a gnarled fist ready to slam against Grapko's heart, when the wolf curled broad palms around each of Yoko's hands, and, tugging the boy downwards, kneed him forcefully into the chin. Yoko was ripped from Grapko's grip by the impact into his father's knee, the teenager flying into the air, blood gurgling into his stunned, gaping mouth.  
  
Grapko then blurred into the air yet again, reappearing yet again just above Yoko's still form, both in midair and descending for the floor below. Grapko roared gleeful grunts at his son's agony, stabbing eight punches and a kick into the mut's stomach. Each impact brought a sting of pain to the mut's tattering form, his eyes flashing wide. The kick was to his left side, sending Yoko straight for the opposite wall from his companions. Dust and rock sputtered instantly from his forceful impact, scuffs and gashes forming into his tough skin. Yoko ripped from the wall, slipping for the ground. He flopped slightly come contact for the floor, but he remained still. Grapko pressed to the floor lightly.  
  
"Kurama!" Botan squealed, the demon having landed just three yards to her left. 'Oh no! Kurama! Please, don't be hurt!'  
  
"You're weak," Grapko smirked.  
  
Yoko smirked in return, flipping to a firm stand. "Just a little out of practice...I'm usually kept all cooped up in the back of Suichi's head, so this is a present from him."  
  
'He's alright,' Botan breathed a smile of relief at the sight of the graced flip.  
  
"Whatever, Mut!" the wolf growled, diving straight for Yoko yet again. The teenager dashed for the side, and dug his elbow into Grapko's mid-back, the wolf being bashed into the floor. Yoko then sprinted to the cavern's center in waiting for the wolf's recovering stand. Yoko crouched low in stance, ready to pounce or defend against Grapko.  
  
The wolf pulsed in slight chuckles as he eased to a stand. His left ear flicked against the crown of his head, and his sleek tail slashed against his leg. "Why do you attempt to avoid the enevitable? You are going to die, Yoko."  
  
"I don't accept bluffs from the losing side," the mut glared in response to the snickering wolf. "Neither of us should bluff at this point, we both know there is no point and that our best as already been put into this fight."  
  
"Coming from someone who isn't using his natural strength...using Ryooki's arrow and a ruby from Koenma," Grapko scoffed.  
  
"Don't even scold me of fake strength...you had an operation to ensure you unnatural brawn, power unthinkable for the wolf breed," Yoko's glare narrowed dangerously thin.  
  
"I suppose you're right, boy," Grapko sneered. "Let us cut off from conversation and continue to battle then."  
  
"Finally...I thought you'd never ask," Yoko grunted with a deadly expression tainting his features. Both lunged for each other, both linking gnarled fists into the other's cheek, both being jerked back slightly from the other's force.  
  
"Aw man!" Kuwabara gaped in disbelief. "This is unreal...it's unthinkable how powerful they both are!"  
  
"Both are using fake strength boosters, neither lack stubbornness, and both hold a vengeful hatred for the other..." Hiei breathed after his observation. "...there really is no way of telling which will win."  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: hey there! Yupyup, a decent chapter, if I do say so myself...what did you think? What was your favorite part? Tell me, I'm very interested. And I'm very sorry if you don't think Yoko is quite in character...but, you have to remember...he's battling his father, an insane creature who he hates with every fiber of his being, and vice versa...so, he's more reckless and less calm because Grapko was the one who made him so corrupt in the first place, and living as a human taught him how awful Kurama really was when he was a demon, so he REALLY hates Grapko for doing that to him and for everything else he's done to his Suichi counterpart, like kidnaping Botan and trying to kill Hiei. *mood swing from seriousness to randomness* But anywho...!  
  
Kurama: erm...Anemone? We still must go out in search for Hiei...  
  
Anemone: huh? OH YEAH! lol...okay then...we're gonna head out...*turns to readers* hey, wanna come?!  
  
Kurama: heh, Mones...it may take a while to find him and Anne-  
  
Anemone: -of course you do! Let's go! Oh, but before we do...Cabbage! *long pause, Vegeta ignoring her* Cabbage?  
  
Kurama: *whispering* maybe you should just call him Vegeta, Mones...  
  
Anemone: *annoyed sigh* FINE...Vegeta?  
  
Vegeta: what?  
  
Anemone: could you please tell the loverly readers to review?  
  
Vegeta: why don't you?  
  
Anemone: because it doesn't work that way! Now tell them.  
  
Vegeta: no.  
  
Anemone: *about to yell something very rude, when Kurama clasps over her mouth*  
  
Kurama: please review! Okay there now we can go, Mones.  
  
Anemone: *glare* fine.  
  
*scene: Kurama, Anemone, and a reluctant Vegeta are out in the park at night looking for Hiei...Kurama's got a flashlight, Vegeta's just kind of tagging along, and Anemone's got a butterfly net*  
  
Kurama: explain to me again why you brought a butterfly net, Mones...  
  
Anemone: simple! So I can catch Hiei before he tries to kill you.  
  
Kurama: *rolls eyes* oh.  
  
Vegeta: hmpf...a butterfly net? Truly, human, you understand nothing about what it takes to hold back a pissed off fire demon.  
  
Anemone: ...be quiet.  
  
Kurama: shh! I think I hear something! *a slight rustling noise, the three side-glance each other, and dash for the spot*  
  
Anemone: Flames?! Are you there?! *to be continued...go review, please.* 


	33. Escape the Stalemate

*The woods at night...Kurama is guarding Anemone, Vegeta's keeping an eye on anything behind...Kurama's got the flashlight and Anemone's clenching her butterfly net as if for dear life as Kurama looks for the source of the rustling noise from before*  
  
Kurama: *whisper* Mones, it's okay...*fishes through bushes* it was a frog.  
  
Anemone: aw dammit! Where's Flames?!  
  
Vegeta: he actually LETS you call him that?  
  
Kurama: *casts flashlight in various directions, Anemone hanging onto his other arm* I have a feeling Anneliese hid him somewhere near here...  
  
Anneliese: *from behind a random tree* BOO!!  
  
Anemone: AHH!! *jumps behind Kurama, Vegeta rolls his eyes*  
  
Vegeta: woman, it's just Hiei's Captor.  
  
Anemone: *slowly looks over Kurama's shoulder at the grinning Anneliese* oh.  
  
Anneliese: *cheerful and nice* what are y'all doing here?  
  
Anemone: *jumps out from behind Kurama, waving her butterfly net threateningly* we came in search for Hiei!  
  
Kurama: *sweatdrop* erm...please, Anneliese...it's been a week, and we're very worried...  
  
Vegeta: reveal his whereabouts or else your little ningen life will be severed short.  
  
Kurama: Vegeta...!  
  
Vegeta: what?  
  
Anemone: *still waving butterfly net in Anneliese's face*  
  
Anneliese: *annoyed, pushes net aside* but I don't wanna let him go yet!  
  
Kurama: is he staying willingly?  
  
Anneliese: I think...  
  
Kurama: *suspicious glare* truly...?  
  
Anneliese: maybe...  
  
Anemone: give him back!  
  
Vegeta: I'm only here as his understudy...my woman's probably got dinner set by now...give them back their little playmate so I can go home! *glares*  
  
Anneliese: no!  
  
Kurama: please?  
  
Anneliese: no.  
  
Anemone: pretty please?  
  
Anneliese: no.  
  
Anemone: I was gonna have a party celebrating his return...and you were gonna be invited...  
  
Anneliese: *gasp* really?!  
  
Kurama: only if you give him back!  
  
Anneliese: *grumble* fine...c'mon. *leads them to a random tree*  
  
Kurama: *touches it's side* this tree is hallow!  
  
Anneliese: yupyup...*taps on side, a door opens and Hiei collapses out*  
  
Anemone: Flames! *Hiei's missing his cloak and undershirt, Anemone blushes* oh my...  
  
Kurama: *kneels by Hiei's side, hitches him up* Hiei! Are you alright?  
  
Hiei: *gurglegurgle* Die...*gurglegurgle* Kurama must!...*gurgle* DIE...!  
  
Kurama: *sweatdrop* erm...well he's still mad at me...  
  
Vegeta: can I go now?  
  
Anemone: sure...bye Cabbage!  
  
Vegeta: hmpf...*flies away*  
  
Anemone: what did you do to him, Anneliese?!  
  
Anneliese: I didn't do anything! He's napping.  
  
Kurama: napping...?  
  
Anneliese: yeah...this tree has an apartment underground...c'mon, I'll show you. *they go downstairs to a really trendy underground apartment with a lot of expensive furnishings*  
  
Anemone and Kurama: *Kurama carrying Hiei* WHOA!  
  
Anneliese: yeah...I can't afford a real apartment, and I like my privacy...so I live down here.  
  
Kurama: I like it...but why was he 'napping' up there at the top of the staircase?  
  
Anneliese: he's got this little issue about sleeping down here...he's got a hamick at the top of the stairs.  
  
Kurama: but...he was standing when he collapsed out...  
  
Anneliese: sometimes he falls out of his hamick and ends up standing in his sleep cuz it's so tight up there.  
  
Kurama: *nods* ah...  
  
Anemone: Flames? Flames wake up...  
  
Hiei: *still sleeping* must...kill...Kurama...!  
  
Kurama: *drops him, steps behind Anemone*  
  
Anneliese: he's been talking about revenge since I brought him here.  
  
Kurama: *whispering to Anemone* he's gonna kill me!  
  
Anemone: Flames...? *kneels by his side, hitches him up*  
  
Hiei: must...KILL..................MUST...eat...*stomach churning*  
  
Anemone: when was the last time he ate?  
  
Anneliese: twenty minutes ago, and he went straight to sleep.  
  
Anemone: *gasp* he's in desperate need of nourishment! Fox, go and buy him some ice cream...stat!  
  
Kurama: right. *runs off to the cornerstore*  
  
Anemone: *turns to readers* this intro's way too long...so, just go into the story and come back when you're done...*whips out her handy- dandy...laptop! and uploads chapter* Chapter 3-  
  
Anneliese: -wait! Can I do this part?  
  
Anemone: the enjoy line?  
  
Anneliese: yeah!  
  
Anemone: erm...okay...  
  
Anneliese: Chapter 33, enjoy!  
  
Chapter 33: Escape the Stalemate  
  
Claws stabbed and slashed against flesh, cracking into tough skins and spraying of blood. Redness flayed loose from open gashes Grapko had managed to dig into Yoko's unnaturally dense skin...and in turn wounds were open and raw on Grapko via Yoko's attacks. The two growled simultaneously, each gritting their fanged teeth in frustration and stubborness as the battle continued with no permanent turn-around.  
  
Grapko would seem victorious with a well-placed kick, but Yoko would spry back into action with the perfect link of fist to opponent's jaw. The two blocked with grace and stealth, and attacked with equal care and precision...but both were annoyed with the current standings...neither was winning...a stalemate had been reached between the two powerful members of adjacent generations...father was tied with the younger of his sons...and both possessed the wolf's headstrongness...neither would accept a tie...both had motives for a personal win, both had an inner reason for the outcome of this almost pointless struggle to be in their favor.  
  
Grapko sought revenge...total and utter hatred pulsed through his rabid veins, insanity racking his jugdement into thinking his own son was his enemy, just because of a rash decision made fifteen human years prior by the crafty hybrid.  
  
He despised his own offspring with a seething vengeance that curdled his golden eyes scarlet with bubbling rage.  
  
Yoko sought an end to the insanity...an end to the crazed, irrational wants of the wolf. He knew Grapko was lacking of any and all sense, that the wolf had poisoned his mind and fueled his overwhelmingly insane notions with unnecessary hatred and thirst for an offspring's blood.  
  
Yoko despised his father with a rival loathing, an equal level of disrespect and hatred...he hated that he looked so much like this beast...this monster who threatened his own son, his own child...the insanity was enough to make Yoko's mane stand on end with frustration.  
  
"It's a deadlock, and they both know it..." Kuwabara breathed in amazement at the loyalty both pure-bred and mut demon's expressed in their anger towards the other. "...they're, they're just gonna keep at it, til neither of 'em can even lift his arms..."  
  
The others remained silent...Kuwabara merely voiced what each already knew, what each already feared...what each already dreaded since before they arrived at Mount Shiverku.  
  
Hiei's piercing glare, though sagged slightly from the singeing pain swimming in the depths of his stomach, stabbed in a fiercely noble glare of cockiness and stubbornness. He had managed to stand without Yusuke's assistance, though his feet wavered under his own weight and the only thing really keeping him from collapsing was his clench to Hinegeshi's hand. 'If Yoko can't defeat him...I fear it will be the end of us all...' his dagger eyes cast slowly for Yukina, now on her feet with Kuwabara holding a kerchief tenderly to her gaping wound. Her temperature lowered, but to her command...the cooling sensation she called upon from her own abilities gave her burning gashes a twinge of relief. Kuwabara would blink slowly from her to the battle, giving each a respective, full minute of his time before transferring to the other matter weighing his mind.  
  
'Yukina...' Hiei thought faintly at the sight of the redness locking into the fibers of Kuwabara's kerchief come contact to her fragile neck. 'That bastard! Yoko had better kill him!'  
  
"Pah!" Yoko snarled as a frame of jagged knuckles tore against his muscle at his chest...the skin wasn't broken, but the muscle was bruised with a swelling sensation of numb pain. The mut in turn countered Grapko's vain attempt with a vain attempt of his own...he swiped his leg gracefully through the hazy air, air now weighed with the heavy scent of exposed wolf and fox bloods, and met his ankle against Grapko's veiny neck. The wolf coughed a choked snort of blood and saliva with the impact, with grit his reddened fangs in anger towards his hybrid son.  
  
The now exhausted Grapko then threw masses of attacks to the equally exhausted Yoko, the fox-wolf just barely avoiding half of them...though his skin was tougher to pierce, his muscle was just as easy as ever to bruise and to cause clots in the blood flow...not that it was ever easy in the first place, mind you, but his muscle was no denser than fifteen years before, when he was still only Yoko of Thieves, and Suichi Minamino had yet to exist.  
  
Yoko pounced in paced leaps backwards, each jump a step's worth of distance as Grapko swung half-tired, half-fueled fists and heels at him. Yoko wasn't gifted with luck with every attempt at avoidance...at times Grapko would manage to link an attack to the tired fox-wolf. The mut could only leap the short distances his graced steps could muster under the pressure of this crucial fight...not to mention the fact that some needed muscles had been tainted with swells of numbness, causing his usually hard- core attacks to be only less-than perfect.  
  
But his stubbornness had yet to abandon him...Yoko had been raised by this beast...he had been raised to be stubborn...he had been raised to be strong...he had been raised to never run from the enevitable...and he had been raised to hate.  
  
Yoko's heart had been braced in a iron setting by Grapko's ruthless actions, Yoko had grown half on his own and half under the influence of his father's abuse...no way in hell was the mut about to allow Grapko to defeat him...not as he did when he was a child...Yoko was craftly, and Grapko was not...Yoko was skilled, and Grapko was merely brawned...Yoko knew he had a chance...he knew that somehow, there was indeed a means for him to embrace the most important win of his life, both his demonic and his human lives...all he had to do was find it.  
Repitition, that's all the battle was composed of...each trying to overcome the other, and each being overridden by the opponent's sudden second wind...Yoko thrashed his sprawled claws for Grapko's throat, but wound up grazing the collarbone, blood swarming at the hybrid's nimble fingertips...for Grapko had dodged, and forced his elbow for the center of Yoko's front, the dead middle just above his stomach and just below his pecks. The mut growled in pain, but tore away in a jerk, stabbing a flashing glare into Grapko's view and in turn stabbing an attack of a punch straight into the wolf's face...Grapko's features meshed against Yoko's knuckles in comformity for the briefest of seconds before collapsing backwards in a wavering stand.  
  
"C'mon, Kurama! You can do it! Show that nasty old meanie who's boss!" Botan squealed enthusiastically, a bold expression of sternness about her little face.  
  
"Yeah, Kurama!" Kuwabara cheered from the side-lines. "You can do it!"  
  
"Silence," Hiei grunted in annoyance.  
  
"Huh? What's wrong with cheering him on?" the punk blinked down at the dragon with confusion tainting his beady onyx eyes.  
  
"Kitsune needs all the concentration he can muster," Hiei's stabbing glare never left the battle field. "With every word you state, even breath to him you are stealing attention he needs to focus into the fight...so shut up and allow him to direct his concentration solely into defeating Grapko."  
  
Kuwabara could only blink. "Oh..." he mumbled slightly. Silence hazed the group, each refusing to whiddle at Kurama's already thin chances by talking, as Hiei had advised they not do. They merely watched on as the clash of father and son ate away at both Yoko and Grapko's strengths and energies.  
  
Yoko growled rabid snarls at his father, and tore away, standing a good seven yards away, trying to grab breaths with immense strain. Sweat trickled down the edge of his chin, breaking loose in crystalline beads.  
  
'Suichi...any suggestions?' Yoko's thoughts dug deep for the countering personality. Suichi was calm and stern towards the whole situation as he watched his demonic half struggle in a stalemate.  
  
'Well, Yoko...' the humanoid of the two breathed softly. '...I didn't grasp a scent of any foliage near him...what do you suppose you use a plant concoction?'  
  
'I've mastered demonic plants, Suichi,' Yoko grunted half-calmly. 'He taught me those...you, however, can control Earthly plants...not to mention, you never got the opportunity to store away my particular weapons...you went straight from Koenma to here, and you never got to pack away my foliage because you didn't even know of my release until it was too late to guard me with my plants...and, you've got your weapons...he never had anything to do with the developement of your techniques-'  
  
'-I wouldn't stand a chance...I already took my attempt...come now, think...you've managed to weaken him-'  
  
'-But I am just as beaten upon, so truly, we are still just as threatening to each other as before we started fighting...we're both just more tired, but really neither any more dangerous to the other than before...it's a repetitive cycle.'  
  
'...true...' Suichi hummed in thought. '...well, I've armed myself with plants...over the years you've studied my techniques...could you try to use my human methods?'  
  
'...you mean, like your-?' Yoko's thoughts were husked in question.  
  
'Exactly,' Suichi confirmed sternly. Yoko could only wince a sigh.  
  
'Very well...I will try...' the demon clicked his tongue to his teeth as his pearly fangs wedged in a firm grit. The demon then sprawled his hand wide, a crack echoing from the jerk of positions his fingers took...he combed it through his glossy mane...and retracted the trademark of his human counterpart...a single, full-bloom, scarlet rose.  
  
His expression was narrow, dangerous, and seeping of rage, and blood. His husky tone was brash in the core of his deep throat as he scowled the phrase of Suichi's signature attack. "ROSE, WHIP!"  
  
He lashed his extended arm downward, the petals ripping loose from Yoko's intense pressure and speed...and with a spurt of Spirit Energy, saturating the core of the stem with his overwhelming ki, the fox-wolf whipped it down, the stem crackling in the stinging energy of the demon mut...within the speed of Hiei's steps, the rose flicked to three yards in length, spiked with deadly jags...and burning with Yoko's muderously cold energy. Midnight blue hazed the whip...the aura of the mut's power, an almost evil navy.  
  
"HYAAA!!!" the fox-wolf roared exuberantly as he lashed it straight for Grapko's coal ears. The wolf gaped at the glowing darkness of the weapon.  
  
"Yoko can't perform that move! That's Suichi-Kurama's attack!" he blinked wide, quivering eyes of stunned gold. "AHH!"  
  
"My God! That's what Yoko's energy looks like?!" Kuwabara gaped.  
  
"Obviously..." Hiei breathed softly at the stunning array of crackling, lightning-like navy energy engulfing the human Kurama's trademark defense. Yoko lashed in mad directions, whipping around with a speed that only Grapko could rival...strain from trying to watch the movements dried Yusuke's eyes, and Kuwabara grew dizzy from the immense speed...only Hiei could examine Yoko's motions without pain striking to his eyes. Hinegeshi cast a gentle gaze in his direction, a look of worry and fatigue tainting her expression. 'He's so into it...he's really deep in the battle...'  
  
Hiei sensed the crystalline eyes locked to his silhouette, he could feel the piercing gaze examining him...and without a glance to her, he gripped a little tighter to her fragile hand, still seemingly consumed with the battle. Hinegeshi in turn allowed her gaze to scan for Yoko and his insane movements.  
  
A navy glow tainted his frustrated features as Yoko whipped in violent lashes for the unarmed Grapko. The wolf leapt backwards in steps of avoidance with every slash the thorny vine grazed. Scraps formed at the wolf's chin and collarbone from even closer calls, Grapko's eyes wide with shock and slight traces of fear to wipe through his mind.  
  
Grapko dove this way and that with every attempt of avoidance, the midnight evil of the mut's aura glowing with a fierce thirst for destruction. Yoko could only strain upon his limbs to slice at the wolf...every second that slipped came another ten lashes of the humanoid's glowing weapon...the aura was jagged, as if like lightening...if the actual whip had yet to dig deep into Grapko's dense flesh, the aura burned sweat to the wolf's temple with it's vengeful heat.  
  
"I can't believe that's really Kurama," Keiko half-whimpered in awe, holding the blood-stained kerchief to Yukina's neck. Both she and Yukina were in shock and amazement at Yoko's superior abilities. "He...He's so strong!"  
  
"We know, Keiko," Yusuke smiled. "But, as strong as he is, Grapko is an equal."  
  
"HYA!" Yoko growled with another insanely rabid lash...slashes, slices, whips, and with paced flicks of the wrist, Grapko was seared into, blood spraying loose on impact with the crackling of Yoko's demonic ki and with the spiked wine in general.  
  
Grapko snarled grunts of anger and pain, flashing golden eyes of hate in Yoko's direction...the two shared identical eyes...differing bodies, differing views, differing bloods...but identical eyes. Both seethed with loathing, both glared dangerously narrow...and both were stinging with the golden glare reserved only for the wolf breed. Yoko was the only mut ever to gain such dangerous eyes...eyes that now looked upon his father with hate.  
  
Grapko's tail flicked against his leg in frustration with every jump back he was forced to take...and that's when Yoko changed course. The fox- wolf pressed his feet nimbly to the ground after a long leap into the air with whipping attacks...and he now sprinted a jump behind Grapko in preparation for a final attack.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: hi there! lol still trying to bring Hiei to consciousness...*points behind her, with Hiei on the couch of Anneliese's apartment...Kurama's waving a srawberry ice cream cone in front of Hiei's nose*  
  
Kurama: *reeeeeeeally sweet sounding tone* Oh Hiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii- eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...I've got iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiccccceee crreeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaammm...  
  
Hiei: *mumblemumble* huh...? *blinks sagging eyes* wha-what...?  
  
Anneliese: YAY! He's awake! He's awake! Look, Mones, he's awake!  
  
Anemone: YAY!  
  
Hiei: *blinks* ice cream?! Where?! *didn't realize it's Kurama...yet...takes ice cream and inhales it* GAH! Brain freeze!! *Kurama takes this time to hide from Hiei*  
  
Anemone: lollol...hi Hiei!  
  
Hiei: *blinks, looks at Anemone...beams* MONES! FREEDOM! *Anneliese looks a little burt* *heavy sigh* erm...It's not that bad living with you, Liese, but-  
  
Anemone: -you gave her a nickname?! *starts crying hysterically, Kurama trying to calm her down*  
  
Hiei: er...  
  
Kurama: there, there, Mones...it's okay...  
  
Anemone: *snifflesniffle* grr fine...*sudden mood-swing, looks happy as she jerks to face the readers* But anyway, *Kurama, Hiei, and Anneliese all collapse anime-style* didya like the chapter?! Didya didya didya?!  
  
Hiei: *reads through chapter* Hey! Nice violence, Mones, I must say...  
  
Anemone: *gasp* Hiei complimented my work?! *shakes Anneliese* what did you do to him?!  
  
Anneliese: I didn't do anything! *Anemone stops shaking her, but glares at her suspiciously*  
  
Kurama: Mones, Mones...Mones...*annoyed sigh as Anemone continues to glare at Anneliese in susupicion...flings Anemone over his shoulder*  
  
Anemone: gah?! FOX! Put me down!  
  
Kurama: *ignoring her* thank you for your hospitality, Anneliese.  
  
Hiei: *suddenly remembers that he's really pissed at Kurama* wait a second...KURAMA!  
  
Kurama: *looks a little scared* Toodles! *runs like hell out of the apartment*  
  
Anemone: wimp...  
  
Kurama: *politely puts her down as soon as their outside* I think not...I've reason to fear the Black Dragon Wave...and he has reason to sick it on me.  
  
Anemone: oh...*they go back to her house*  
  
Hiei: KURAMA! Dammit why didn't I kill him?!  
  
Anneliese: *fingering through a '100 Facts You'll Probably Never Need to Know About Fire Koorimes Because They Most Likely Don't Exist* It says here that ice cream brain freezes causes you to be unaware of the presence of other demons, and it slows you down from attacking.  
  
Hiei: gah?! The hell did you get that book?!  
  
Anneliese: eBay.  
  
Hiei: oh...*turns to readers* gah?! Jeez you readers must be demonic if I didn't sense your presence...well, Mones will probably take the trouble to come back and yell at me to say my line...so before she does...go review.  
  
Anneliese: bye!!  
  
*back at Anemone's house...Kurama playing with a hacky-sack, Anemone lying on her bed*  
  
Anemone: maybe she should've brought him back with us...  
  
Kurama: ...no way, he's going to want to kill me.  
  
Anemone: what exactly did you do again?  
  
Kurama: *catched his hacky-sack and explains* I was being chased by a fangirl mob, and tricked them into going after Hiei...he was caught for a brief time then I suppose he ran away and met up with Anneliese, who rescued him...he had an owe to fulfil but as long as he was here he was safe...he was driving you crazy so I tricked him off the property and into Anneliese's custody. *long pause*  
  
Anemone: yeah you're pretty much a dead-man walking.  
  
Kurama: *resumes his hacky-sack game* I am inclined to agree.  
  
Anemone: well anywho...*turns to readers* please review and please point out your fav parts! Latr! 


	34. From the Mut's Eyes

*Anemone's room...there's about to be a party! Yay! Anyway...Anemone's trying to put up decorations, Kurama's helping...Anemone jumps down from ladder and fishes around through decorations to find the list...Anemone going through guest list one more time*  
  
Anemone: okay...so people who are coming are...Goku, ChiChi, Mystic Gohan, Videl, Cabbage, Bulma, Mirai Trunks, Piccolo-  
  
Kurama: -he's coming?  
  
Anemone: yeah, he called last night and confirmed.  
  
Kurama: ...he owns a phone...?  
  
Anemone: *shrugs* I don't get it either. *continues with list* ...Krillin, 18, Master Roshi-  
  
Kurama: -Master Roshi?! *remembers last time Master Roshi came over and he groped Anemone, resulting in Kurama having to force him off the property after the dirty old man was thoroughly beaten in the face by Mones*  
  
Anemone: don't worry, Fox...*pulls out a metal bat* he won't dare be perverted tonight!  
  
Kurama: ^_^' heh...  
  
Anemone: *rests bat on shoulder, scans list* now let's see...Anneliese, Ellen...Inuyasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Shippo-  
  
Kurama: *smirk* ah, another kitsune...  
  
Anemone: -Sesshoumaru-  
  
Kurama: er...is that wise?  
  
Anemone: plenty! Rin's coming too, so he won't get all violent.  
  
Kurama: oh...  
  
Anemone: ...Vash, Meryl, Wolfwood, Millie, Knives-  
  
Kurama: -gah?! Anemone, Knives is the third person you've confirmed is coming who is a danger...  
  
Anemone: and the other two...?  
  
Kurama: Sesshoumaru and Master Roshi.  
  
Anemone: *waves bat in air*  
  
Kurama: *sigh* fine...then just Sesshoumaru.  
  
Anemone: c'mon, Fox...I invited their little bros, and since Vash and Inuyasha can fend 'em off, we're set!  
  
Kurama: heh...  
  
Anemone: *returns to list* Kenshin, Kaoru, Sanosuke, Megumi-  
  
Kurama: -Megumi?!  
  
Anemone: yeah...what's wrong?  
  
Kurama: *shiver, remembers when she once confused him for Kenshin and started groping him...and even after his pleads for her to go away, and she realized it wasn't Kenshin, she continued groping him* does...does she HAVE to come...?  
  
Anemone: ...yeah...?  
  
Kurama: *grumble, turns back to decorations*  
  
Anemone: hm...and the last few people are...Yusuke, Kuwabara, Keiko, Yukina, Hinegeshi, Botan- *Kurama smirks* -Flames- *Kurama looks scared* and that's it...along with these lovely readers! YAY! Party!  
  
*doorbell rings, Kurama answers*  
  
Kurama: hello, Piccolo...you're the first to arrive.  
  
Piccolo: oh. *turns to go*  
  
Kurama: erm...where are you going...?  
  
Piccolo: I'll come back in an hour, I guess...*Anemone grabs his cape*   
  
Anemone: oh no you don't! *drags him in* What's that? *points to a bowl in his hands*  
  
Piccolo: *looks kind of annoyed, straightens cape* onion dip. Dende made me bring it cuz he couldn't come himself.  
  
Anemone: yay! Thanks, Green!  
  
Piccolo: *gives a 'what...?' expression, rolls eyes, sits down on couch waiting for another person to show up*  
  
Anemone: just wait til everyone shows up...while we do this, you loverly readers go read!! PARTY!  
  
Kurama: chapter 34, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 34: From the Mut's Eyes  
  
Grapko's tail flicked against his leg in frustration with every jump back he was forced to take...and that's when Yoko changed course.   
  
The fox- wolf pressed his feet nimbly to the ground after a long leap into the air with whipping attacks...and he now sprinted a jump behind Grapko in preparation for a final attack...as the mut flipped lightly to just behind the wolf, he growled in the core of his throat, readying himself for his next assault.  
  
"Encircling of Navy Flame!" Yoko roared vivaciously, a new twist on Suichi's trademark attack, 'Rose Whiplash'...the whip was engulfed with the violent facets of midnight blue and navy of Yoko's lightening energy. In mad circles it spun, lashing against Grapko's flesh and tearing into the dense muscle of the pure-bred's brawn.   
  
The wolf growled and howled, throwing back his weighed head in agony and saliva-flooded yelps. He guarded himself with his own body, protecting vital areas with his own arms.  
  
The attack was deadly...the navy glow licked to Botan's face as her delicate features gaped at the sight. 'His energy...it's so different from the human Kurama's attack...'  
  
Hiei and the others watched on in awe as well. The blue glow hazed to Hiei's face, casting shadows in the crevices of his features...his scarlet eyes were wide in shock. "He...He can actually win!"  
  
Stings of immense and total pain slapped raw against the break's of the wolf's flesh, blood leaking in broad streaks of glossy redness from the gashes. Yoko's energy singed in heat, causing all the more pain to afflict the pure-bred.  
  
"Stupid mut!" Grapko growled violently, and coiled his wide palms about the coming lash of the whip. His skin tore instantly with contact to the spiked weapon, and the demonic energy saturating the core and surface of the whip burned scorches to the wolf's hand. Despite the slipperiness of the exposed, flowing blood, Grapko gripped hard to the whip, and jerked it, and it's master, towards him.   
  
Yoko instantly tore away from his hold to the whip, dragging his energy along with it...the instant the navy aura was sucked from the dangerous piece of weaponry, the wolf was left with no more than a rose in his clutch.   
  
As Grapko gaped at the simple flower his his bloodied grip, redness lacing his gashed palm to the tiny thorns of the now hardmless rose, Yoko kicked off against the ground, and jerked the sole of his foot in the dead center of the wolf's face. Grapko collapsed to the ground from Yoko's forceful kick, and the mut drew away...he had just bought some time to consult with Suichi.  
  
'Suichi!' Yoko growled to find his countering subconscious. 'I don't have any more roses...what the hell do I do now?! I had the upper hand with the whip, but he's got it now!'  
  
'Oh no...' Suichi breathed in response. 'We truly don't have any more roses?! Damn I was sure I had packed mo-' both human and demon of Kurama pricked in realization. 'Yukina!'  
  
Yoko jerked narrowly stunned gold eyes for the fragile demonness...sure enough, she still wore one of Kurama's roses in her bushy mint hair. Without even a word, Hiei realized what was going on.   
  
Before anyone in the side-lines could take note, the dragon blurred against the air to Yukina's side...he quickly, but gently, tore the rose from her hair, and whipped for the battle field.  
  
"Hiei!" Yusuke yelled. "What are you doing?! You're going to be killed!"  
  
'Come on, Hiei...' Suichi urged within the mind of the two Kuramas.   
  
The dragon raced for the end of the vast cavern with everything his body could muster, every scrap of energy.  
  
'Faster!' Yoko grunted to himself.  
  
Hiei skid to a halt just beside Yoko, thrusting the rose into the mut's grip. Yoko and Hiei shared a brief gaze and both grunted smirks...until a frame of knuckles bashed against the dragon's already gashed stomach.   
  
"PAH!" Hiei gasped a chaffed breath of air...the wolf had punched into Hiei's tender wound, Hiei's muscles subconsciously conforming to fit around the jags of the wolf's knuckles.   
  
"Hiei!" Yoko growled at the sight. The dragon winced one eye open, and glared a dangerous glare at the wolf.   
  
"B...bastard..." Hiei managed to stutter as his own blood swarmed in his mouth, slipping smoothly from the corner of his lips and gracing to his chin. Grapko simply smirked deviously at the dragon tender to his fist.  
  
"Stupid boy..." Grapko snarled. "You know you're no match for me...you should have just died..."  
  
"HIEI!" Yukina exclaimed. "NO!!" She was held back by only Kuwabara as she attempted to grace the battefield and assist her older brother.  
  
"Hiei!" Botan shouted. "Grapko you asshole!!" the bluette in turn struggled against her shackles in her anger. He just kept picking on a demon already weakened...he had no honor as a warrior...Grapko was no more than a beast.  
  
Grapko tore the tattered dragon from his puncturing fist, allowing Hiei's groaning form to make impact to the stone floor. The dragon instantly coiled his arms greedily about his stomach...the muscles had been completely thrashed, by both Grapko's claws and Grapko's punch.   
  
Now the flame koorime attempted to ignore the agony pulsing through his abs...but the pain was worse than when he used the Black Dragon Wave and nearly destroyed his arm.  
  
Just as the wolf was about to stab his claws right for the weakened Koorime's throat, Yoko kicked off into the air...and gushed his energy to the new rose in his clutch. A whip cracked against the air, and wrapped around the front of Grapko's neck. Yoko clutched to the other end, and pressed a step behind Grapko, the wolf's neck now the pole with which the snared vine coiled around.   
  
Yoko tugged to the whip hard, veins stabbing in his arms from the pressure. He leveled one foot against Grapko's lower back, and hoisted against the whip with all his strengths.  
  
Grapko's breaths were stolen from him in a way that only the legendary Yoko of Thieves could steal...the wolf stuttered against the gripping whip coiled about his broad neck...streaks of redness tore in smooth rolls from his throat...the thorns had stabbed into Grapko's neck, the dense flesh cracking with the tugging pressure Yoko jerked to Grapko's throat.  
  
The wolf quievered despite himself...this was the end...he was going to die...fear boiled within him...and being half fox, Yoko was blessed with the ability to smell fear.  
  
"You dread death..." Yoko sneered heinously into the wolf's flicking charcoal ear, his whisper rasped with the tauntingly threatening tone only Yoko could create. "...you fear your own demise...what kind of warrior are you to quiver at your coming end?"  
  
Tears glossed in the wolf's golden eyes as he sensed his death and felt the pain singe his temples and nose red from strain.   
  
"...you take the lives of thousands..." Yoko growled softly. "...you threaten the lives of Suichi's loved ones...and since I am Suichi in a sense, you threaten my loved one..."  
  
Grapko stuttered in his fear.  
  
"...you are no more than a pathetic monster..." Yoko whispered to cause Grapko's ear to pin against the crown of his head. "...you kill and murder...and yet you lack the honor to die with a straight face...how can you be my father?"  
  
"...y-you refused to die...y-you actually w-went so, so far as t-to be-become h-human..." Grapko trembled in his terror.  
  
"True, wolf...but that human life made me stronger...you, however, are still corrupted..." Yoko tugged harder to the whip, the thorns stabbing into already open gashes. Grapko wailed in moans of fear and pain, tears streaking his face. "Goodbye, beast," the mut scowled...and gushed an array of demonic energy into the whip. Grapko howled in pain as Yoko slit the spiked whip sharply for one side, snapping the beast's throat...blood sprayed instantly as the sound of flesh and tissue ripping rang into the air.   
  
The girls all yelped...Yukina tucked her face into Kuwabara's chest, whimpering against him...the boy subconsciously held her close.   
  
Hinegeshi winced, clasping her hands over her eyes.   
  
Keiko pinched her eyes shut and nudged against Yusuke, the Detective lacing his fingers with hers.   
  
And Botan gasped, guarding her eyes with her shackled wrists.  
  
Grapko's corpse collapsed to the ground, blood and snagged tissue leaking from the open gash at the beast's throat. There Yoko stood, glaring piercing, emotionless eyes down at the wolf...as Grapko's energy dimmed, his silver mane faded back to red, his least powerful state. Grapko was dead, and there he lay, leaking of scarlet.  
  
Yoko's eyes slowly pressed shut...his form was tired, his muscles relaxing for the first time since before Suichi's fight with Ryooki. "Should this ruby not dissolve, now?" Yoko inquired softly to himself. Hiei staggered to a wavering stand, clasping his thrashed, torn stomach.  
  
"Hn..." the dragon grunted through a gnarled wince. Blood seeped from his tender, bruised abs, but he strained to ignore it. "What a wimp he is..."  
  
"Indeed," Yoko cast narrow golden eyes for the bubbling corpse beneath him. The ruby about his neck dimmed of his brilliant sheen...it lacked any and all of a glow, and was simply stark red. The weight of the gem was soon lifted from Yoko's neck, as the beautiful ruby dissolved into the air.   
  
It's color faded and it's sillhouette dimmed...it slowly melted into the air, disappearing into nothingness. The chain slipped from Yoko's slender neck and tumbled for the stone floor, it's diamond cut facets clanking and shimmering during it's descend for the ground.   
  
Slowly, an eerie navy glow, much like that of Yoko's earlier attack, stung at the mut's mane. The flicking ears at the crown of his head melted against the scalp, and flesh tore from the sides of his head, shaping with the grooves and crevices of a human's ears. His tail melted into nothingness. The slicked, sheened platinum mane quickly stung from the roots to the end with Suichi's red, the smoothness roughened into the human's thick, bushy hair. His stature lowered slightly, his limbs shortening to conform to fit Suichi's height. His skin darkened slightly from Yoko's milky complection to Suichi's normal shade. The shape of his sharp face softened to the slightly number shape of Suichi's human countenance.   
  
His narrow golden eyes pressed shut...and opened to be wider, glowing with Yoko's midnight blue aura. His eyes dimmed of the brilliance of the demonic ki, and gleamed with the brilliance of the humanoid's self...the trademark emerald was slit and faceted with as many gleams and glints as before...his beautiful emerald eyes. There stood Suichi...the human Kurama.  
  
"Kurama!" Kuwabara laughed heartily. Kurama responded by flashing a tired smile in the direction of his companions. Hiei stepped slowly for Kurama's side, the two exchanging exhausted and pained looks...but both smiling. Kuwabara and Yusuke bolted for the two, each beaming in their shock and amazement.   
  
"Aw, man, Kurama that was awesome!" Kuwabara grinned. Keiko, Hinegeshi and Yukina jogged for the boys as well.  
  
"It wasn't that awesome," Kurama half-chuckled, the slope of his nose singeing red as he smiled modestly.  
  
"Oh come on can't you ever be cocky?!" Yusuke rolled his eyes. "Don't be humble now, brag, dammit!"  
  
"Brag of what? You were all witnesses...there's no need to brag," Kurama countered calmly.  
  
"You're hopeless..." Yusuke shook his head...Keiko swapped him upside the head. "OW! Keiko, whadid I do?!"  
  
"If Kurama wants to be humble about it I think it's very mature..." the brunette scolded. "...don't go trying to make him like you!"  
  
Hiei snickered. "Indeed...Kurama shouldn't have to brag...he knows well how much more powerful he is in comparison to us, he doesn't need to convince himself."  
  
"Hey!" Yusuke glared.  
  
"It's true, Urimeshi..." Kuwabara sighed in agreement. This brought the group aback...Kuwabara actually AGREED with Hiei?! And it was a matter of Kurama being stronger than them?! Usually Kuwabara would have held on to his honor...but not now.  
  
"I mean, yeah, normally I'd be all like, 'hell no, I'm just as strong!' but, I mean, Kurama proved that he's a hell of a lot stronger...I'm not gonna go against the truth."  
  
"Oh Kazuma! That's so adult of you to admit!" Yukina praised the red-head's antics.  
  
"Well, baby..." Kuwabara grinned stupidly. "You know I love to make you proud of me...that is why I try, SO hard!"  
  
"Hey Kuwabara..." Yusuke clicked his tongue to his teeth. "...how come you're willing to admit Kurama's stronger than you...but you've still gotta agree that I am?"  
  
"What?!" Kuwabara roared. "Because you're NOT, stupid! You're a idiot! One of these days I'm gonna beat the crap outta you!"  
  
"Are you alright?" Hinegeshi approached Hiei, ignoring the others. Hiei winced a strained smile.   
  
"Yeah..." he laced his hand with hers. "I'm fine."  
  
Kurama then turned his back to his companions...and walked calmly for Botan.  
  
The bluette blinked slowly as the fox approached her...both their hearts stopped. Kurama leveled himself with her, half kneeling, and slowly caught her fragile hands in his gentle hold. He examined them with care and precision locked into his brilliant eyes. Blood escaped her wrists from the constant scuffing caused by the shackles.  
  
"Are you alright?" he inquired softly.  
  
"Erm...oh!" she giggled, realizing he meant her bleeding wrists. "Yes...yes, I'm fine..." her cheeks singed red. The slope of Kurama's nose burned in a blush.  
  
"Good..." he whispered.  
  
"Yeah..." she nodded softly.  
  
Kurama slowly gripped to the chains of her shackles...and ripped the metal rings apart, the chain severed and falling apart with the jerk of the fox's hold to it. Botan was now free...FINALLY...and they were so close...  
  
Botan beamed cheerily up at him...Kurama smiled gently down at her...the pause was slow...  
  
He could hear her delicate heart beats growing steadily louder with anticipation...  
  
She could hear his steady heart beats growing gradually faster with eagerness...  
  
His brilliantly emerald gaze locked solely into her niavely candy one...they were so close to each other...he could feel the blush singeing at the slope of his nose in his suspense...she could sense her cheeks burn with redness in her excitement...so close...so close...!  
  
"Oh kiss already!!" Yusuke growled...before being elbowed by Keiko.  
  
Now the closeness was awkward...'Stupid Yusuke!' Botan thought angrily. 'he might have actually kissed me if that idiot hadn't interrupted!'  
  
'Damn...' Kurama thought bitterly. 'I almost had it...dammit, Yusuke! I would have kissed her if he hadn't of done that!'  
  
Botan sat with her back against the wall...and Kurama was less than half a foot away, half-kneeling before her...they were so close...and now they both coughed through the awkward silence with blushing expressions.  
  
"Yusuke you idiot..." Hiei scowled. "Now you've made the situation uncomfortable for them..."  
  
Kurama rolled his eyes with a soft smile. He slowly laced his hand with Botan's and assisted the deity to her feet. The two exchanged another locking glance with each other, emerald to raspberry...when Kurama suddenly pricked, and snarled in pain.  
  
"Kurama?" she inquired in confusion.  
  
The fox roared in torment...his eyes tucked back to his head, his knees collapsing beneath him. Sweat beaded at his temple, and his face was tense in agony.  
  
Kurama collapsed against her shoulder, unconscious, and quivering from immense pain.  
  
"K-Kurama?!" Botan stuttered at the fainted boy leaning against her and trembling in pained torment.  
  
"Oh shit!" Hiei blinked in rememberance. "The arrow!"  
  
"Oh no I forgot about that!" Yusuke gasped.  
  
"Kurama!" Keiko gaped.  
  
"What arrow?!" Botan demanded sternly as she coiled her ivory arms around his back.  
  
"Kazuma what do we do?!" Yukina trembled in fear.  
  
"We have to get it out of him!" Hiei growled. "Before it's too late!"  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
*Anemone's room...everyone but Hiei has arrived so far...music="farther" by outspoken...Gohan dancing with Videl, Wolfwood dancing with Millie, Krillin dancing with 18, Miroku dancing with Sango, Kenshin dancing with Kaoru, Yusuke dancing with Keiko*   
  
Master Roshi: hey there, Sexy...*tries to grope Anemone*  
  
Kurama: Roshi step away from Anemone!  
  
Anemone: it's okay, Fox...*pulls out bat, hits Roshi upside the head with it* NOW BEHAVE YOURSELF OR YOU'RE NOT GONNA BE AROUND MUCH LONGER!  
  
Master Roshi: *kinda wobbly* yes ma'am...  
  
Goku: *having eaten the entire table to food* hey Mones? Uh, where's the rest of the food?  
  
Anemone: you ate it all?!  
  
ChiChi: and he ate before we left.  
  
Goku: *groaning* so....hungry......  
  
Kurama: *sweatdrop* erm...sorry, Goku, but that was all the food in the house...  
  
Goku: WHAT?! Ah!  
  
Vegeta: oh shut up, you baby...  
  
Goku: *sniffle*  
  
Vash: *gasp* HE ATE ALL THE DONUTS?!  
  
Meryl: you needed to cut down anyway...  
  
Vash: ...but...but...  
  
Megumi: *to Kurama* hey there, Red...wanna dance? *gets a little to close...*  
  
Kurama: erm...*looks frantically for Botan...finds her talking to Yukina* ...no I've got a dance partner...my apologies! *rushes over to Botan and starts dancing with her*   
  
Megumi: *grumble, looks for Sanosuke*  
  
Anemone: now all we need is Flames, Anneliese and Ellen and this party's full...  
  
*door bashes open...Hiei's standing there, hands in pockets, smirking*  
  
Hiei: here's JOHNNY...  
  
Kurama: uh-oh... *ducks behind Botan*  
  
Botan: HI HIEI! *waving a lot, smiling*  
  
Kurama: *whispering* Botan?! What are you doing?!  
  
Botan: huh? I'm saying hello to Hiei...  
  
Hiei: hello, Kurama...*evil smirk*  
  
Kurama: erm...hello Hiei...  
  
Ellen: *follows after Hiei* HI PEOPLE!  
  
Anneliese: *follows after Ellen* HELLO!  
  
Anemone: hey! YAY! Everyone's here! *Kurama runs by, Hiei chasing him with an unsheathed Katana* er...  
  
Mirai Trunks: hey Anemone...wanna dance?  
  
Anemone: SURE! *turns to readers* there's onion dip on the table-  
  
Goku: *coughcough*...*avoiding Anemone's gaze*  
  
Anemone: er...nevermind...Flames!  
  
Hiei: *in hallway...Kurama pinching his Katana blade* what?!  
  
Anemone: say your line!  
  
Hiei: oh...go review...*rips Katana from Kurama's hold and tries to hit him again*  
  
Vash: *goes out into hallway* can't we just all get along? C'mon, brother, love and peace!  
  
Hiei and Kurama: ...  
  
Anemone: *turns to readers* have fun, y'all! This party will go on to the next chapter too *yay*! Bye! *goes to dance with Mirai Trunks*  
  
Kurama: Hiei please! It's a party! Have fun!  
  
Hiei: *pause, blink* fun...? What the hell is fun...?! 


	35. Escape

*Anemone's room...this is the second to last chapter, and we're still going on with the party (I'm going out with a bang)! Kurama's managed to lose Hiei in the crowd, and Hiei's gotten himself deep in conversation about Katana techniques with Kenshin...music="cosmic castaway" by Electrasy...Goku's dancing with ChiChi, Inuyasha dancing with Kagome, Sanosuke dancing with Megumi, Vash dancing with Meryl, Bulma attempting to get Vegeta to dance, and Kuwabara dancing with Yukina*  
  
Bulma: come ON, Vegeta!! *pulls with all her limited strength at his arm, Vegeta not budging in the slightest at her supreme weakness*  
  
Vegeta: no!  
  
Bulma: if you don't I'm gonna kill you!  
  
Vegeta: Saiyans don't dance!! *meanwhile, Goku dances by swinging ChiChi*  
  
Goku: WEE!  
  
ChiChi: *laughing* G-Goku!! HAHA!  
  
Bulma: *raised eyebrow at Vegeta*  
  
Vegeta: *glare* Kakorat doesn't count.   
  
Mirai Trunks: c'mon, Dad...it'll make Mom happy!  
  
Vegeta: *growl*  
  
Mirai Trunks: er...I'm gonna go find Gohan...*mingles*  
  
Bulma: *smug smirk* you know what it took to make him?   
  
Vegeta: *smirk*  
  
Bulma: NEVER AGAIN IF YOU DON'T DANCE!  
  
Vegeta: GAH?! *gets dragged out into the dancefloor while looking traumatized*  
  
Anemone: I seriously didn't need to hear that...*shiver*  
  
Kurama: ...agreed...*shudder*  
  
Hiei: *walking by talking to Kenshin, Kurama dives behind Anemone* ...I always held the hilt firmer than that...does that really work?  
  
Kenshin: it works for me, that it does. But perhaps this is a matter of 'to each their own'...  
  
Hiei: hn...maybe...*they walk off towards punch bowl...the one thing Goku did NOT consume...entirely...*  
  
Kurama: *heavy relieved sigh*  
  
Anemone: Fox you're getting too uptight for this party...loosen up a bit!  
  
Kurama: but he's going to kill me if he catches me!  
  
Anemone: he's having a nice little conversation with Kenshin-  
  
Kurama: -about SWORDS!  
  
Anemone: *long pause*...how do you know it's connected to you? Huh? Huh?!  
  
Kurama: *rolls eyes*  
  
Yusuke: nice party, Mones...I'm actually faking having a sensation relevant to fun!  
  
Keiko: *slap*  
  
Yusuke: OW! Wadid I do?!  
  
Keiko: you're a jerk!  
  
Kurama: indeed, Yusuke, don't be rude.  
  
Anemone: yeah I didn't HAVE to invite you, See-Through.  
  
Yusuke: *long pause as he thinks this over very hard* ...what the hell kind of nickname is that?!  
  
Kurama: *snicker, whispers to Yusuke* she was making fun of your once being a ghost, along with it being a pun against the fact that your character lacks in complexity.  
  
Yusuke: *blank look, walks away angrily mumbling* Stupid Author and her confusingly deep nicknames...  
  
Anemone: wow...he's beyond stupid...*no offense to Yusuke fans...don't flame me!!!*  
  
Kurama: tell me about it.  
  
Anneliese: well I'm really having fun, Mones!! All my fav guys are here!!  
  
Ellen: yeah this party ROCKS!  
  
Anemone: good to hear SOMEONE is having a good time...*sniffle*  
  
Kurama: what's wrong?  
  
Anemone: Yusuke broke my spirit!! *whimper*   
  
Keiko: *growl, runs after Yusuke, slaps him upside the head again*  
  
Yusuke: OW! Dammit what did I do?!  
  
Ellen: well we'll just hafta fix that now won't we? Red!  
  
Kurama/Kenshin: yes?  
  
Ellen: I was talking to Kurama...  
  
Kenshin: oh...sorry. *turns back to conversation with Hiei*  
  
Anneliese: Kurama go yell at Yusuke.  
  
Kurama: why me?!  
  
Anneliese: because!  
  
Kurama: *tired annoyed sigh, goes to join Keiko in scolding Yusuke*  
  
*Meanwhile, Hiei and Kenshin have gotten Mirai Trunks in on the sword conversation...Mirai Trunks and Kenshin both oblivious that it's for tips on how to kill a certain humanoid fox...Kurama walks back over to Anemone after putting his bit into Keiko's lecture against Yusuke's rudeness*   
  
Mirai Trunks: you don't give them time to fight back if you can help it...then you blast them to oblivion.  
  
Hiei: *evil smirk* really? Do tell...  
  
Kurama: *gulp, ducks behind Anemone*  
  
Anemone: maybe if you bought him an ice cream...  
  
Kurama: what good would that do?!  
  
Anemone: well, a few chapters ago you promised him one and never delivered.  
  
Kurama: oh yes...  
  
Anemone: I suggest you get at it before Hiei gets Inuyasha's tips too.  
  
Kurama: right...*about to go, when Roshi attempts pervertedness (it's a word lol I think) at Anemone*  
  
Roshi: wanna dance? *looks REALLY perverted*  
  
Anemone: *reaches for bat, can't find it*  
  
Roshi: looking for THIS? *holds up her bat* haha! Kudos to me! The slick old man!!  
  
Anemone: *looks really freaked out as he steps towards her*  
  
Kurama: you dirty old man...*kinda pissed at this point with having to get rid of Roshi probably three times already...drags Roshi away from Anemone, out the door, onto Anemone's balcony...and drops Roshi over it's edge* IF YOU LIVE THROUGH THAT, TURTLE-HERMIT, THEN BEHAVE YOURSELF FOR THE REMAINDER OF THIS PARTY, DAMMIT!!  
  
Roshi: *having hit the ground, twitching in pain* o-okay........need.......medic.....  
  
Ellen: *pointing and laughing at Roshi, having joined Kurama on the balcony* HAHAHAHA! YOU DUMBASS!!  
  
Anneliese: *laughing* that stupid pervert...  
  
Goku: *pauses in dancing* Master Roshi...?  
  
Krillin: *really annoyed at Roshi's pervertedness* He's fine, Goku...  
  
Goku: er...well, okay...if you say so...*starts dancing again*  
  
Kurama: Mones I got your bat back.  
  
Anemone: thanks Fox!! *takes bat, turns to readers* well, enough of this...the party'll still be here when you get back...go ahead with the next chapter!  
  
Kurama: chapter 35, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 35: Escape  
  
Kurama trembled violently in his state of unconsciousness...the teenager fought within himself against the pain of tearing arteries and snapping veins...he was slowly drowning on the inside in his own escaping blood.  
  
"AH!!" the kitsune snarled in agony. Botan slowly lay him against the stone floor, fear apparent in her vivid raspberry eyes.  
  
"What arrow?!" she asked frantically as she brushed his bushy scarlet locks aside from his tormented and twisted expression. "What is happening to him?!"  
  
Hiei blurred against air to the fox's side, though a stab of pain plagued his stomach halfway through the rush...the Koorime collapsed, grasping his stomach firmly as he skid against the smoothly jagged stone.   
  
"Hiei!" Yusuke and the others attempted a rush in his direction...but Hiei was too stubborn, and refused to give in...he dragged himself up, and sprinted yet again for Kurama.  
  
"Hiei!" Hinegeshi gasped. "You're going to hurt yourself even more!"  
  
"I don't give a damn!" he snarled back, the bruises and tears at his stomach throbbing deep within him as he collapsed to Kurama's side. "I'll be fine!"  
  
Hinegeshi grunted angrily inwardly, but rushed for Kurama as did her companions.  
  
"Where is that damned thing?!" Hiei growled to himself as he examined Kurama's left wrist with care...he then leaned over the fox's trembling form for Kurama's right wrist...and shock stung his narrow ruby glare wide.  
  
Kurama's wrist was swollen, and tainted with a poisonous green tint. His veins punctured against the flesh of his forearm, tainted in emerald.   
  
"My God!" Hiei whispered at the sight. Botan drew a sharp gasp.  
  
"What's happening to him?! Tell me!" the deity grasped Hiei's shoulders firmly and shook...the Koorime ignored her, and tore away from her grip, examining the Kitsune's wrist with care and fear.  
  
"His skin's layering over the arrow! I can't even see it!" Hiei roared in his hybrid emotion of fear and anger. "DAMN!!"  
  
"What?!" Yusuke fell to his knees by the quivering Kurama. The Detective tore the red-head's wrist from Hiei's hold and examined it himself. "Ah SHIT!"  
  
"Kurama!" Keiko whimpered as the fox trembled against himself.  
  
"How the hell are we supposed to get it out now?!" Kuwabara growled...Hiei glared stabbing ruby daggers for the punk's direction.  
  
"Shut up! All of you! I can't concentrate..." the flame demon set his eyes back for Kurama's arm, the veins darkening in their poisonous shade.  
  
"AH!" Kurama snarled a tormented wince, sweat beading at his tense, redened brow and trickling slyly down his veined temple.  
  
"Will somebody, PLEASE, tell me, what's going ON!!!!" Botan roared ferociously, gripping her ivory fist into Yusuke's collar. "What's wrong with him?!"  
  
"Lay off!" Yusuke growled, tearing her grip from his shirt.  
  
"TELL ME, DAMMIT!!" the bluette barked right in the stunned Detective's face.  
  
"Just tell her, Yusuke!" Keiko growled.  
  
"FINE!" Yusuke countered viciously. "He injected this whacked out arrow thing into his system which is supposed to like, magically make his skin like harder or something like that and he had like this limited time to get it out and he didn't in time!"  
  
"SHUT UP!" Hiei snarled. "Your grammer is BEYOND painful to listen to! I can't even concentrate!"  
  
"What are you gonna do anyway, Shorty?! Why the hell do you need to concentrate?!" Kuwabara growled.  
  
"Precision, you fool, now SILENCE!" Hiei barked, choking the cavern of sound. The Koorime slowly cast his nimble glare back for Kurama's wrist...and slowly drew his glossy Katana from it's sheath at his side.  
  
"Hiei!" Yukina yelped as he leveled his blade right at the fox's hand.   
  
The blade was smooth against Kurama's thin, purpled wrist, a bulge puncturing into the skin from underneath in the bloodstream...the once-exposed arrow tail, now burrowed under a layer of tainted, rotting flesh. Hiei was just about to slit into the flesh...  
  
"Not so fast..." a rasped tone cooed against the contagious silence leaking throughout the cavern. The group whipped around to face...the guard, from the very beginning of their mission in the blasted Mount Shiverku.  
  
Corrosive purple eyes and paled skin, the symbol of 'hatred' across his chest and several wounds seeping of his blood...that blasted guard had survived Kurama's Rose Whip!  
  
"Don't stupid demons know when to die?!" Kuwabara growled.   
  
"You don't know my power, you insolent fool! Why do you think I would front the defenses?!"  
  
"So Grapko wouldn't have to deal with your annoyingness?" Yusuke countered smugly.  
  
"Oh, cute, human...very cute...but you didn't know that I can overwhelm you with my power!"  
  
"Yeah you did a great job with the overwhelming before..." the Detective smirked.  
  
"Oh yeah?! With the mere sacrifice of my life, you will all perish!"   
  
Hiei was growing steadily angrier. He couldn't concentrate without supreme silence...one word badly timed could throw his aim off completely and kill the fox.  
  
"You brave enough to make that sacrifice, buddy?" Kuwabara smirked deviously.  
  
"Yes."  
  
The group gaped as the demon threw himself to the floor, writhing in pain...he was leaking of his energy, and the rock was sponging every fragment of it up. "Goodbye!!" was the last word he rasped before perishing right there.   
  
"The hell?!" Hiei grunted. "Oh shit RUN!!!"  
  
Violent vibrations shook against the mountain, sputters of rock slicing off from the cavern ceiling. A pillar shot straight for Keiko the brunette stunned beyond movement...until Yusuke dove at her from Kurama's side and the two skid against the floor...dust and splinters shot from the pillar's impact to the floor, as did many others.  
  
"Let's get outta here!!" Kuwabara scooped Yukina up in his arms and ran with every fiber of his being for the corridor leading out of Grapko's cavern. Yusuke threw Keiko over his back, the girl hugging firmly about his neck as he sprinted in sync with Kuwabara.   
  
Botan firmed her arms in midair, and a lick of energy stung at her sprawled ivory hands as wood materialized in the shape of her trademark oar.   
  
Hinegeshi was about to do likewise...when a huge slice of stone came barreling down for her head. Hiei blurred against the air and strung his firm hold around her body, an arm at her shoulders and an arm at the bends of her knees, sprinting in a broad circle around the tattering cavern as the girl in his arms formed a long wooden oar. She swiped it in the air, Hiei kicking off against the ground and landing to the oar in a sit, instantly releasing the red-headed deity in his clutch so she may steer. The two whipped around back for Botan and Kurama, flying by with a speed to rival Hiei...the flame Koorime reached to the ground and clutched to Kurama's shirt, dragging the unconscious fox into the air with him and Hinegeshi.  
  
Stone and dust choked the shaking room, the vibrations merciless and violent. Botan shot off into the air as well, coming in tune with her co-worker's steering. Hiei then lay the unconscious Kurama to Botan's oar, his torso slung over so his arms and legs dangled, the bluette instantly stringing her slender arms over him in her clutch to the rower.  
  
The two ferry girls whipped in vicious turns and flips through the air in narrow attempts of avoidance...that demon was stronger than anticipated! He had the power to completely destroy Mount Shiverku!  
  
Rocks and dust collasped from the ceilings and walls of the open caverns and the narrow passageways. Hinegeshi and Botan's steering almost instantly caught them up to Yusuke and Kuwabara, the boys running with every fragment their energy could muster.  
  
"GAH!" Kuwabara roared as a huge, jagged chunk of stone descended straight for him and his beloved mint-haired Yukina. He leapt into the air, collapsing and skidding to a halt on his lower back, just barely out of the rock's range. The continuous vibrations of the guard's dying attack shook the caverns violently, Kuwabara struggling against himself to stand.  
  
The impact affected each of the team members...Yusuke was thrown into the air with Keiko gripping firmly about his back. The Detective collapsed to the ground, his knees buckling, but kicking off into a sprint yet again.   
  
The dust of that huge stone's impact to the stone blinded Hinegeshi, the girl's oar losing control and whipping in mad directions. Hiei laced his arms about her stomach in an attempt to steady the oar's route, but he two was slightly plagued as dust swarmed the air. Neither could see...when a rock stabbed through the air and crushed for the end of her oar.  
  
The impact shot both Flame Koorime and Deity backwards in a flinging swing. Hiei bound himself against her, and, pressing a kick to yet another falling stone, kicked off for the floor, stepping nimbly to the ground and sprinting off with Hinegeshi snug in his arms as she formed yet another oar.   
  
Botan whipped through the air, her steering steadier and more experienced than Hinegeshi's. She avoided the rocks and dust with nimbly sharp turns, her route jagged with snakes around the rocks and dust.  
  
Yusuke and Kuwabara's footing was comprimised constantly as the vicious shaking of the ground vibrated their sprints. Yukina whimpered in her boyfriend's hold, Keiko burrying her face against Yusuke's neck.   
  
Kurama quivered violently as pain struck to his arm again. Sweat ripped in soft, gel beads from his temple with each sharp turn the bluette jerked her oar.   
  
"Come on, people!!" Hinegeshi shouted over her shoulder.  
  
"Shove it! You're not running!" Yusuke gasped through his untimed sprint.   
  
Rocks and dust continuously collapsed over them, sputtering violently from the slits in the shaking mountain. Perpetual near deaths, dagger stone breaking loose from the ceiling and stabbing straight for the retreating Urimeshi team.   
  
Kuwabara dove in jerked jumps from side to side as slim rock slit the dust-choked air straight for him.   
  
Yusuke sprinted straight through, not stopping and only speeding up come near impacts with rocks.   
  
Hinegeshi fronted the escape with Hiei sharing her oar, the injured Koorime holding to her firmly.  
  
Botan whipped around through the caverns in the rear. Her movements were violently jerked from left to right. Kurama struggled against himself in pain, his face tense as he lay strung over Botan's oar.  
  
They sped straight through Ryooki's cavern...and Hiei was the only one to notice the fox-wolf was no longer there. 'Where'd he go...?'  
  
They rushed across the battlefield of Hitorihamet's last fight, and of Kruntag's, and of Syaaka's.  
  
Suddenly, just as the light of the outer world was blinking in view, a horrific amount of rock slit from the vibrating mountain's ceiling. It sputtered loose, Hinegeshi, Yusuke, and Kuwabara instantly speeding up to the limits of their strengths. Botan, however, whipped to a halt, unable to beat the collapsing amount. The stone crushed to the floor, layering over itself, dust spraying all over. The impact of stone to stone racked even the air, shaking Botan and Kurama from her slender oar, the two falling to the ground.  
  
"KITSUNE!" Hiei growled, his eyes iced wide. Behind a fresh wall of stone, locked into the vibrating Mount Shiverku, were a trapped pair of teenagers...a frantic bluette and an unconscious, slowly dying humanoid.   
  
"HELP!!" Botan shouted loudly through the stone, pressing herself against the wall. "HELP US, PLEASE!!"  
  
Kurama was quivering in his pain, the veins of his right forearm widening and staining with eerily deep emeralds and midnight blues. Sweat beaded at his temples, streaking his face and patting his hair against his tense countenance.  
  
Botan, though pained from her impact to the ground after being flung from her oar, managed to wince through it and pound the side of her fist against the wall cutting both herself and the fox off from the outer Demon World.   
  
"We have to go back!" Hiei thread his arms around Hinegeshi's front and tore her route for the side, jerking them backwards. Yusuke's chocolate eyes managed to glimpse the change in his companion's flight, and threw his glare behind...Kurama and Botan's weren't anywhere in sight.  
  
"Kurama!! Botan!!" Yusuke skid to a halt just as his feet were to carry both him and Keiko into the light of the outer world.   
  
"What?!" Kuwabara halted at his rival's yells. "Where are they?!"  
  
"Behind the wall!" Hiei's gruff bark echoed into the air.   
  
"WHAT?!!" Kuwabara blinked in shock. "They can't be!!"  
  
"Well they are!!" Yusuke growled, setting Keiko to the ground and sprinting back...they were now beyond the danger of collapsing rock, but Botan and Kurama were still trapped in that overwhelming threat.   
  
Hiei leapt from Hinegeshi's oar to the ground, landing nimbly despite his raw, open wound. He sprinted straight for the wall, punching against the dense rock with his jagged fist. "DAMN! No good! It's too thick!"  
  
"Hiei?!" he heard a muffled choke of a hopeful yell.  
  
"Botan! Are you and Kitsune alright?!"   
  
The deity held Kurama in her lap, stroking sweaty locks of scarlet from his temple. "He's getting worse!!"  
  
"You have to pierce the skin of his right wrist and tear out the arrow tail!"  
  
"What?!" she gaped. "I, I can't do that!! What if I miss?!"  
  
"We can't risk that, Hiei...!" Yusuke countered in his frustration.  
  
"Oh DAMMIT!" Hiei snarled. "What the hell are we supposed to do?!"  
  
Botan held the tense, pained Kitsune in her lap, cradling his head and massaging his chest. His expression was tainted with utter pain, sheer agony. Rocks perpetually collapsed and bashed densely to the ground, dust sputtering on impact and stinging at her terrified eyes. With each dagger spike of stone she yelped and pinned both herself and the unconscious Kurama tighter against the fourth-mile wide wall separating them from their worried companions.  
  
"I can't get through this!" Hiei growled in his anger. "It's too damn thick!"  
  
"I don't have any more bullets..." Yusuke grunted.  
  
"...and I let out all my energy..." Kuwabara whispered in shame.  
  
"H...Hiei...w...what's going, to, to happen to, Botan and K...Kurama...?" Yukina asked timidly, utter fear staining her innocent eyes.  
  
Hiei growled in his frustration. "Damn!! I wish I knew!! I, I have no idea...!"  
  
"AH!" Botan yelped as yet another stabbing spike of rock pierced against the dust-hazed air straight for her and her one companion. Kurama writhed in pain, lost within himself under the intensity of the agony poisoning his forearm. Deeper became the shades of emerald and midnight tainting his veins, wider grew the arteries as poison metal pumped through them, slowly spreading to plague his entire system.  
  
Gashes stung into their flesh as splinters of stone grazed by. Cracks formed on her skin and red streaked into her clothes. Dust sprinkled and burned at her open wounds, but she didn't care...she simply cradled tighter against the humanoid in her lap.   
  
The vibrations shook them violently, Botan nearly collapsing on top of him. But she resisted binding herself firmly against the wall. And that's when a huge, dagger rock broke from just above the two, and tore through the hazy dust right for Botan and Kurama. The deity yelped in her fear, leaning over the boy unconscious in her lap and awaiting their death in total horror.  
  
"AHH!!!"   
  
"BOTAN!" Yusuke breathed hard, ramming the side of his fist against the jagged wall.  
  
Suddenly, claws dug into her collar, slinging her over a shoulder. Botan gaped in shock, unable to fathom the passing occurance. Kurama, too, was dragged from the floor, and the body veiled from her sharp vision sprinted viciously away, just as the stone burrowed against the floor of the pair's former position. Splinters and jags of rock shot from the crumbling impact, dust spraying loose and hazing around the slit stone.   
  
Botan blinked in confusion...and could only make out the sight of...flowing red hair. The girl whipped her sights around, her raspberry gaze wide in bafflement. Atop the crown of their rescuer's head...were a flicking pair of scarlet fox ears. 'What?!' she thought in confusion.  
  
Her eyes cast for downward, and grazed over the sight of the unconscious Kurama tucked under this stranger's opposite arm. The girl was locked in confusion. 'Who is this?! It's not Grapko...this guy has red ears...'  
  
The stranger carried the two with a speed to rival Hiei's. He sprinted gracefully and smoothly through the vibrating mountain, his paced steps having yet to be rocked and displaced by the quivering Mount Shiverku.  
  
Faster and faster, harder and narrower grew his sprint...he was a marvel. His speed was perfectly timed and deadly silent as he rushed through the bowels of the Kyorgin Caves in search for another exit. Rocks and dust collapsed and blew in their direction, but he was never slowed.  
  
Suddenly, he kicked firmly and recklessly against a spot of stone, the rock splitting loose come impact with his foot. Light sprayed instantly through the puncture in the wall, stinging viciously at Botan's wide eyes. She pinched them shut as the stranger leapt through the hole, dragging both the deity and the humanoid fox-wolf along with him. The stranger's step pressed against the ground as he skid to a stop. Dirt clouded about his ankles from the rush, but he jerked violently for the side, setting Botan down with care and instantly turning his attention solely for Kurama.  
  
"The hell-?!" Hiei pricked in a sense...and bolted from the scene.  
  
"Hiei!" the others called after him in confusion, kicking off after him.  
  
The Flame Koorime skid to a halt at the rounded turn of the mountain's base...and his ruby glare widened. There stood Botan, looking on in utter worry as the nameless rescuer gently lay Kurama to the ground.  
  
'It...it can't be...' Hiei's thoughts stuttered against his attempt to think clearly.   
  
The group rounded the corner in sync to Hiei's rush...and they too were stunned at the sight that met their eyes.  
  
"...Ryooki..." Hiei breathed slowly.  
  
Kurama's fox-wolf brother ignored the group, studying Kurama's condition. Strung about his back were his signature arrows, each deadly in their sharpness. "Brother..." Ryooki attempted to coax the fox awake with his voice. "...Yoko...it's me...Ryooki..."  
  
Through Kurama's gaping lips, slivered the voice of Yoko Kurama. "Ryooki...I'm, I'm about to die...you must help me! Us! Suichi...Suichi can't stand the...the pain!"  
  
"It's okay, Yoko..." Ryooki smiled gently. "...just lie still..." Yoko then fell unconscious in sync with his human counterpart Suichi-Kurama.  
  
The conscious of the siblings then graced the air with his arm in preparation to draw an arrow from his sling. The arrow he selected was smooth, the head sharp and slick. Ryooki slowly grasped to Kurama's swollen, tainted wrist. Silence choked the entire group present.  
  
With a jerk faster than Hiei's sprint, Ryooki had slit into his brother's wrist...blood slipped free from the fresh gash. Ryooki then, very slowly and with the most supreme of care, slipped his claws gently into the slit of skin. Botan winced and jerked away as blood curdled under Ryooki's claws. The bulge trapped under Kurama's flesh was tampered with, and ripped from the fox's system. Instantly the tensness of the humanoid's face loosened, silver liquid leaking loose from the slit in the boy's wrist. His puncturing, sharp veins eased back to normal and faded of their deadly colors, Kurama's swollen wrist soon   
  
"Is that-?" Hiei began in coarse question.  
  
"It is. The metallic arrow substance." Ryooki answered bluntly, examining Kurama intently. "Oh...oh no...!" the demon breathed faintly, his left ear flicking against his head and his narrow emerald eyes widening just slightly.   
  
"What?" Hiei growled lowly. "What's wrong...?!"  
  
"He's giving in!" Ryooki whirled around to face his brother's friends, each gaping in fear and shock.  
  
"What do you mean 'giving in'?!" Yusuke breathed coarse gasps in his stunned terror.  
  
"I mean he doesn't see the means to keep on going! He's blinded by the pain and can't shake through it!" Ryooki growled violently in the human's direction.  
  
"No! Kurama can't die!" Botan exclaimed, bowing to the humanoid's side. "Kurama! Wake up!" She shook hard against him, but he remained motionless.  
  
"He has to be coaxed back to reality...he must be reminded why his life is worthwhile..." Ryooki stroked his slick mane back with his clawed hands. Kurama was falling within himself, deeper and deeper towards his demise...blindness has racked his senses from reality, from knowing his worth...from remembering.  
  
"...Reminded why his life is worthwhile..." Botan breathed to herself in an echoing coo. She then cast stern eyes downward to the boy lying in against the ground, dying from the inside out.   
  
With one last breath, she dove at him, forcing her lips against his in a gentle, smooth kiss. Kurama's eyes flashed wide, stinging emerald glazed brilliantly in faceted shock. Botan tore away, eyeing him with worry sagging her pretty raspberry eyes. The fox-wolf was still lying on the ground his stunned eyes gazing up at the beautiful deity leaning over him.  
  
"Well that worked..." Yusuke whispered faintly to the group.   
  
Keiko rolled her eyes, Yukina stiffled a delicate giggle, and Hinegeshi smiled tiredly.   
  
Kuwabara massaged his temples, the stress having given him a migraine.   
  
And Hiei collapsed to an Indian style sit, exhaust weighing him down without mercy.   
  
Kurama breathed slowly, eyeing Botan with slight confusion. "B...Botan...?"  
  
"Kurama..." she sighed softly, a happy, bubbly smile pricking at her ivory face. "You're okay!!"  
  
"Y-yes, well..." he coughed awkwardly...still lying on his back...with Botan still leaning onto his chest. After a brief pause, when she had realized, both their faces twinged in mad blushes, Botan scrambling up, and Kurama hitching himself to an Indian style sit. The two cast their eyes away from the other, redness burning at the slope of his nose and pink singeing at her cheeks.  
  
"We'll go..." Kuwabara smirked, slowly leading Yukina away. In reluctance his companions followed, Hiei retreating last. The Flame Koorime cast a monotonous expression in Kurama's immediate direction...Kurama smiled calmly at his best friend, Hiei in turn grunting a smirk and rounding the corner after the others.   
  
Kurama slowly scanned his emerald glare after his departing brother. "Ryooki..." he breathed in solace.  
  
The demon halted, but didn't grace Kurama with his face. "Hm?"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
A brief pause laced between the brothers, before Ryooki cracked his neck against his shoulder and started off again for the shadows beyond Mount Shiverku.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Are you alright?" a lovely young demonness approached Ryooki with care and tenderness in her fragile eyes as her figure pealed from the shadows.  
  
The hybrid smiled kindly, and nodded. "Yes...I'm fine mother."  
  
"Where do we go, Ryooki?" Jiaanti sighed in her confusion.  
  
"Beyond...away..." the boy shrugged calmly. "Doesn't matter...this place is in our past...and it's collapsing on the inside, so journey on we must."  
  
The two walked off, setting out for what lay beyond that blasted mountain of which they've both spent far too much of their lives.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Erm...Botan..." Kurama bit his lower lip in an attempt to formulate tangible words after Ryooki had disappeared into the shadows.  
  
"...er...yes, Kurama?" the deity gulped slightly, parching her speech.  
  
"That, um...that, kiss..." he struggled against himself with his words.  
  
Her heart jumped. "...yes...?"  
  
"Uh...why, em...why did you, did you do it...?" Kurama's eyes boldly ventured for the girl directly to his side...though a singeing blush still plagued the slope of his nose.  
  
"Well...um...I, uh...oh boy..." she sighed in defeat, wincing and scratching the side of her head. "...maybe we should talk about something else..."  
  
"...indeed..."  
  
"Erm...Kurama," she bit into her lower lip as she flashed her innocent candy eyes in his direction.   
  
"Yes?" he asked with a twinge of hope in his voice.  
  
"...have...have you...have you ever...liked, someone...but, but didn't realize it...until you've been through...a, a lot with, them?" the deity chose her words with strained care, fear of rejection in her eyes.  
  
A pause as the words tainted his mind... "Yes." he answered flatly, though it sounded like a coarse whisper. "...and with the sheerest of honesty, Botan..."  
  
The bluette's lungs seemed to shrivel and refuse her of air and her heart seemed to pause as she waited for his coming words.   
  
"...I must say..." he gulped in awkwardness.  
  
She couldn't breath. 'come ON, darn it!! Tell me!'  
  
"...I...I..."  
  
At this point she was boiling over with utter anticipation, as was he...and both grunted in their frustration of the situation "I LOVE YOU!!"  
  
Botan and Kurama drew back, gaping at the other. "You...you love me?" Kurama blinked with a shadow of a smile to claim his lips.  
  
"YOU love ME?!" Botan piped in utter joy.  
  
"Yes!" he beamed.  
  
"Me two!" she laughed. Botan threw herself around his neck, Kurama instantly threading his stern arms around her back. The two pressed their lips together, each smiling in sheer happiness.   
  
Hiei smirked at the sight. He was hidden in the trees, the twisted masses of branches and leaves hiding him from even Kurama's keen eyes...though either way the Kitsune was too busy to notice him. 'It's about time,' Hiei smirked calmly. '...way to go, Kitsune.'  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: YAY! Second to last chappie!! WOOHOO!!  
  
Kurama: that was so sweet, Mones!  
  
Botan: yeah! *hugs and kisses Kurama...after a minute Kurama pulls away looking VERY smug*  
  
Hiei: oh Kur-A-MA...  
  
Kurama: *suddenly looks a little scared* erm...yes, Hiei? *ducks slightly behind Anemone*  
  
Wolfwood: you're still not gonna kill him now, are you?!  
  
Hiei: no.  
  
Everyone: 0_0 nani?!  
  
Hiei: I decided that if Kitsune gets me the biggest damned ice cream sundae ever known to humanity...! *brief pause*...then I'll forgive him.  
  
Kurama: YES!! I'm not going to die!!  
  
Anemone: what changed your mind, Flames?  
  
Hiei: Anneliese made me sit through a lecture.   
  
Anemone and Kurama: ahh...  
  
Anemone: okay, people!! Since this is my second to last chapter, and the next one isn't going to continue the party, we've gotta have a nice little ending...  
  
Goku: what is it, Mones?  
  
Anemone: everybody! At the end of the song *song="we didn't start the fire" by Billy Joel* ...everyone...will kiss...someone else! Choose your makeout partner now!!  
  
Everyone: *shrugs, finds a partner...Goku + ChiChi, Miroku + Sango, Krillin + 18, Inuyasha + Kagome, Vegeta + Bulma, Gohan + Videl, Vash + Meryl, Wolfwood + Millie, Shippo + Rin, Kenshin + Kaoru, Sanosuke + Megumi, Yusuke + Keiko, Kuwabara + Yukina, Sesshoumaru + Hinegeshi, Knives + Ellen, Hiei + Anneliese, Kurama + Botan, Mirai Trunks + Anemone...Piccolo and Roshi are partnerless, Piccolo doesn't really care, Roshi is depressed...readers with whoever you brought as your date!!*  
  
Anemone: song's almost over! Yay!!  
  
Mirai Trunks: *slight chuckle, smirk* yay.  
  
Anemone: *almost blacks out*  
  
Anneliese: oh my God I can't believe I'm gonna kiss you!  
  
Hiei: me neither...  
  
Ellen: hey Mones! Are we allowed Frenchers? *Knives sweatdrops slightly*  
  
Anemone: sure!!   
  
Knives and Hiei: WHAT?!  
  
Miroku and Goku: YAY!!  
  
Anemone: *turns to Mirai Trunks* wanna...?  
  
Mirai Trunks: *shrug* okay.  
  
Anemone: YAY! *almost blacks out again*  
  
Anneliese: HURRY UP WITH THE DAMNED SONG, ALREADY!! I WANNA FRENCH HIEI!!  
  
Everyone: *sweatdrop, steps back slightly...Hiei tries but is held back*  
  
*song ends...Goku kisses ChiChi really sweetly...Vegeta kisses Bulma reluctantly, but it gets kinda intense...Gohan and Videl kiss innocently...Vash and Meryl french...Wolfwood and Millie french sweetly...Shippo kisses Rin on the cheek...Kenshin and Kaoru french...Miroku and Sango french really deeply...Krillin and 18 peck short and sweet...Sanosuke and Megumi french...Yusuke and Keiko kiss reluctantly, but get into frenching...Inuyasha kisses Kagome deeply...Kuwabara kisses Yukina romantically...Sesshoumaru just kinda lets Hinegeshi peck him on the cheek...Ellen frenches Knives, at first against his will, but he gets into it...Kurama and Botan kiss passionately...Hiei and Anneliese do a frencher...readers do their own thing...Mirai Trunks and Anemone start making out*  
  
Everyone: *parts from their partner...waiting for Anemone to say something...look over, and find her still making out with Mirai Trunks*  
  
Kurama: er...Mones...?  
  
*Still making out*  
  
Hiei: ...Mones...?  
  
*Still making out*  
  
Hiei: she really doesn't want to let this go, does she...?  
  
*Still making out*  
  
Kurama: apparently she doesn't...  
  
Hiei: *heavy annoyed sigh* very well...she'll no doubt demand I say my line...*turns to readers* go review.  
  
Kurama: farewell, readers!  
  
Knives: go away.  
  
Sesshoumaru: whatever...  
  
Kenshin: have a nice evening!  
  
Ellen and Anneliese: BYE!!  
  
Goku: see-ya!!  
  
Gohan: hope you had fun!!  
  
Anemone: *finally parts from her partner* huh, what...?  
  
Vash: peace out!  
  
Kagome: goodbye!  
  
Botan: later!  
  
Piccolo: hn.  
  
Wolfwood: may God be with you!  
  
18: are they gone yet?  
  
Yukina: I hope you all had a nice time! My regards!  
  
Anemone: ...wait they're leaving?!  
  
Vegeta: go away, humans!  
  
Anemone: no ignore them come back, readers!!  
  
Mirai Trunks: wanna go make-out?  
  
Anemone: *instantly forgets readers* SURE!!  
  
Hiei: finally...you can go now, readers...  
  
Kurama: goodbye! 


	36. The Calm of the Age

Anemone: hey! This is the last chapter...and it focuses on Hiei...it's actually kind of cute.  
  
Hiei: it shouldn't be cute!  
  
Kurama: oh, but it is...the rest of the story was based mostly on me, now you're in most of this...  
  
Hiei: er...I take back wanting to have a big part...I don't care...  
  
Anemone: don't lie...this is the last chapter, so just deal with it...  
  
Hiei: grr...fine...  
  
Kurama: I can't believe it's really over...  
  
Hiei: oh no...  
  
Kurama: ...we've been through so much together...  
  
Hiei: here he goes...  
  
Kurama: and I just wanted to say-  
  
Anemone: -can it wait?! You're getting me all depressed here!!  
  
Kurama: oh...um, okay, I suppose...  
  
Anemone: just say your line, Fox...  
  
Kurama: Chapter 36, enjoy.  
  
Chapter 36: The Calm of the Age  
  
Hiei's form smeared the sky as he zipped sharply over the city. His destination, Kurama's home...but the fox no longer lived with his mother in a busy town just outside Tokyo...for fifteen years have slipped away with a grace of Hiei's quick steps, and the fox now resided as a thirty-year-old on his own terms in a grand home on a hill not far off, that just overlooked the city span.  
  
"Spirit Gun!" he heard a faint shout. Hiei jerked to a halt...it was a little girl. Hiei had just left the city boundaries, and was in the suburban area, with family-sized houses neatly placed decent distances apart. The demon slowly approached the scene, and what he saw nearly shocked him...nearly. The flame demon's dagger ruby eyes met with a little girl, and her twin brother, each pointing their index fingers towards two huge rocks. A man, black, slicked hair and wide, chocolate eyes, examined their movements intently. Yusuke indeed hadn't changed much in looks...he was taller, a little more muscular, and a scruff of a beard tinted his cheeks, chin, and the valley between his nose and mouth...other than that, he indeed was pretty much the same looking to when he was fourteen. "Okay...go!"  
  
"Spirit Gun!!" they both yelled in unison, and maddeningly powerful orbs of white light shot viciously from their fingers, spraying loose zips of energy in random directions, but the majority of the blasts ripping straight forward. Each child was jerked back slightly from the force, and the rocks disintegrated into nothingness come impact with each attack. That is what nearly shocked him...the Urimeshi twins, shooting spirit guns...and very strong ones, no less.  
  
"Ha! Totaled!" the girl exclaimed gleefully with arrogant pride.  
  
"Amateur..." the boy clicked his tongue behind a smug smirk after examining her handiwork.  
  
"What?! That was the perfectest shot there is!"  
  
Hiei muffled a light chuckle at just how much the girl reminded him of Yusuke.  
  
"Okay, you two...just raise your arms a little higher...good...oh, not that high, son...here, like this..." Yusuke, a strong, well-built twenty-nine-year-old, gently raised his arm into the air. He pointed his gunning finger dead straight ahead of his eyes at a slight slant. "Spirit..." his deep voice moaned lowly, a serious tone about his character. Hiei slowly snuck out into the opening of the yard, playfully motioning to the children to stay quiet, each child stifling mad giggles at their "uncle".  
  
"Hello, Detective," Hiei seethed from behind Yusuke with a devious smirk, scaring the wits from him. "AH!" Yusuke's spirit gun shot violently from his hand dead straight into the very top of a tree, completely disintegrating it. The twins, two-years-old, giggled madly at Daddy's mistake.  
  
"That was a good one, Uncle Hiei!" the little boy, Yukio, giggled. He definitely resembled his mother...Keiko's hair, Keiko's nose, Keiko's face, and Keiko's eyes...but obviously he possessed his father's abilities.  
  
"Yeah!" his sister, Gakilei, agreed quickly, approaching her uncle immediately. Now she was a Yusuke look-alike. Jet black locks tumbling just to her shoulders, and chocolate eyes to mirror her father's. Her powers were extraordinary, just like her twin's.  
  
"But it was still rude," Yukio scoldingly corrected himself, gaining a look of disagreement from his sister.  
  
"Whatever, Yu..." Gakilei rolled her father's eyes in her father's style, Yusuke grinning at his female counterpart. "You're just mad cuz you couldn't scare daddy like that, no way!"  
  
"Gakilei you jerk!" Yukio barked, and Hiei swore he could see a flash of a memory, back when Keiko would shriek the very phrase of Yusuke.  
  
"How are you two?" Hiei smiled kindly, crouching on one knee to be level with them.  
  
"Good!" they answered in unison, jerking immediately from their argument with gleeful grins. Hiei was shocked to see how much they each looked like their parents...it was unbelievable.  
  
"How's my little Gakilei?" Hiei quickly scooped the girl up high in his arms, spinning her around in frisky circles in the air. Her giggles rivaled his deep laughs, and Yukio clapped playfully. That is, until Yusuke pounced the little boy from behind, tickling him insanely. Hiei slowed to a gradual halt, and held the girl balanced on one arm. Her behavior was much like her father's, Hiei noticed a while back...she was stubborn, independent, arrogant, and had extraordinary ability. With a side glance to his "nephew", Hiei in truth saw the male counterpart of Keiko. Bossy, controlling, gets-what-he-wants, and supportive. These two were definitely their parent's children. Hiei quickly pecked the girl on her cheek and gently placed her on the ground, ruffling his nephew's brown mane and picking the boy up to place on his shoulder. Hiei beamed at both children, tickling Gakilei's chin and Yukio's stomach while the boy sat perched on the demon. Yukio nearly rolled off from the immense giggles surging through his little form, and Yusuke slowly dragged the child from his wavering sit. Hiei then shifted in a weighed sigh, turning to go. "Yukio, Gakilei...I only dropped by when I heard your Spirit Guns...I am very impressed, you two!"  
  
"Yeah, I know...we rock..." Gakilei beamed happily, in a very Yusuke manner...Yusuke in turn laughed arrogantly in agreement with his toddler daughter. Yukio, on the other hand, realized Hiei's words, and heard a hint of 'I gotta go now.'  
  
"Aw...but you just got here!" Yukio moaned, and Gakilei, realizing Hiei was intending on leaving, pouted her bottom lip outward at him. Hiei's sharp crimson eyes softened at the two children, and he sighed heavily.  
  
"I know...but, tell you what...I'll come to visit tomorrow...I promise." Hiei layered his hand to his heart, and strictly swore to return the next day. "It's just...right now I have to go see Kitsune...it's been over a year since I had a decent visit with him."  
  
"Love you, Uncle Hiei!" Gakilei coiled her arms about his knees in a tight hug, Yukio copying his sister's antics. "I love you more!" Yukio grinned.  
  
"No, I love him more..." Gakilei seethed a glare to her brother.  
  
"No, I do..." Yukio contradicted, returning the look of defense she shot him.  
  
"No, ME!" her voice grew steadily sharper.  
  
"No, ME!!" he instantly matched her negatively low tone.  
  
"ME!!!"  
  
"ME!!!!"  
  
Hiei rolled his eyes, 'it's Yusuke and Keiko all over again...' he chuckled silently through a calm grin.  
  
"I love you both," Hiei smiled softly at the children, lacing his hands into their mane's and ruffling through slightly. And with that, he grunted a soft 'Hn' at Yusuke, who smiled wordlessly at his demon friend. Hiei's form quickly melted into a smear, lacing the air above.  
  
Yusuke watched after Hiei with a look of admiration and a peer's respect all wrapped in his tired grin. 'Well, Hiei...' Yusuke thought. '...you used to have trouble showing your feelings...but with these kids, and our friends's kids, you have no trouble being the best uncle in the world...yet you act as you always had around us...heh, I guess you just know how to act with different people...and with the children of this generation, you know exactly how to show them love...now that you aren't at risk of losing them.' With that, he lay his hands gently to the head's of his two toddler children, and led them for the house. "Hey Keiko! Is dinner ready?"  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Hiei's smudged form jerked back into a humanoid figure in his sister's yard. "Yukina?" his voice echoed over the threshold. "Idiot?" he called in turn for her husband...Kuwabara.  
  
"Hya!" a familiar voice echoed deep inside the property. 'Hn...Moron's training...'  
  
Hiei slowly walked the hallway into his sister's home, sensing a strong power in the depths of the building. 'Hn...that isn't just Moron...must be Kane as well..."  
  
The flame demon smiled as a doorway opened into a wide room...a polished, well-kept dojo. Kuwabara handled a huge, crackling golden sword, a master at the weapon. His energy licked sharply at his bare palms, but the pain had long ago lost its significance. He swung it effortlessly in his grasp, breathing coarsely from hours of training. Their stood Kane, mirroring his father's movements. The boy, only three, possessed his mother's mint hair-which jutted outward in sharp spikes as did Hiei's-and his father's onyx eyes...though, in truth, his face was actually...Hiei's. His eyes were of the same shape to his biological uncle's, and his face and build nearly matched Hiei's down to the very last fiber. The only difference was that the demi-demon was to be his father's height...yes, he would be a very attractive, tall, Ice Demon.  
  
Gripped tightly in the three-year-old's hands was a sparked blade of silver light, clashing against his father's golden one. Not only did the color clash...but so did the temperature. Where Kuwabara's weapon was flaming in heat, Kane's was ice cold, shimmering sharply on impact against the hot golden one of his father.  
  
"Very good, Kane!" Kuwabara breathed heavily at his son...in these past fifteen years, Kuwabara's looks definitely evolved...his face was no longer as uneven...rather, he grew to be somewhat handsome, especially in comparison to his looks of fourteen. His hair was still a flaming red, though now long and tucked in a tight ponytail to the knot of bone between his neck and shoulders. He had grown a mustache, as well...and his voice was still pretty annoying...he was somewhat quirked, but his spirit awareness only sharpened over the years.  
  
"Kane, go for the gut!" Hiei yelled at a random moment, throwing Kuwabara off guard. However, Kane had heard him coming...his demon senses were sharper than a three-year-old's should be...Kane actually expected Hiei to shout something at some point, and wasn't the least bit surprised. On the contrary, he obeyed the demand and sliced his blade for his father's stomach. Kuwabara just barely guarded it, though, and allowed his sword to fade into the air as he turned towards his brother-in-law.  
  
"Hi, Uncle Hiei!" Kane grinned, giving a happy expression to the face he inherited from the three-eyed demon, an expression Hiei personally never gave the very face himself...until just a few years ago, when these children were born, and added a happiness to his life...before, Hiei wouldn't even show how he felt for his sister...she didn't even know she WAS his sister...but now, now that Grapko was gone...now he could show how he felt for the people he cared for the most.  
  
"Hiei?" a familiar tone cooed behind him. Hiei pricked slightly at the sound, but slowly turned to face Yukina. She had changed a little in looks...her spiking mint locks were now cut short, to just below the ear, but they were still thick and bushy, and shot in sharp tufts. Her once rounded face was slightly sharper as the years had passed, but she still possessed the same innocently wide blood eyes and the shortness both sibling had somehow inherited through their slightly-differing heredity.  
  
"Yukina," He smirked softly to the little demonness.  
  
"Hello!" she grinned with glee. "How are you, brother?"  
  
"I'm fine, Yukina...how are Kane and Dimwit?"  
  
"Kane and KAZUMA, are fine, Hiei."  
  
"Hn, good to hear," he smirked. "I only dropped by to check on you...I was really heading over to see the Kitsune, a couple miles off...so everything's fine?"  
  
"Great! Everything is great, Hiei..." her blood red eyes sparked happily as a grin graced her face. Hiei, smirking, ruffled playfully into her mint hair, sighed, and turned to go.  
"Where are you going, Uncle Hiei?" Kane rushed up to the demon's side. It almost scared Kuwabara and Yukina how much their son looked like the dragon when they stood next to each other. The demi-demon's third eye sparked and flashed, a deep, curdled onyx shade. Kane's Jagon eye was natural...he inherited it from his demon grandparent, Hiei and Yukina's father, who also had a real one...but Hiei didn't get one naturally-it was a trait that skipped a generation-and he had to get an implanted one.  
  
Hiei smirked with pride at the boy, combing his sprawled hand into the child's mane and dragging him up against his leg in a one-arm hug. Kane reacted by wrapping his arms tight about Hiei's leg, knowing his uncle had to go. Through the boy's Jagon eye, he told Hiei 'come back soon, Uncle Hiei...I miss seeing you a whole lot!'  
  
Hiei responded with his signature "Hn," and a foreign-to-his-habits smile. "I'll be seeing you soon, Kane." and with that, his form quickly took shape of a black smear and stained the sky.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
The dragon demon jerked to a halt in the depths of a vast, thriving garden, scanning the huge property for any sign of his Kitsune friend.  
  
"Hn?" Hiei grunted softly, his scarlet gaze jerking downward to his side. A tiny hand curled in a fist, his cloak clenched tightly in the child's grasp. His gaze softened, and a smile, a real smile, not his usual smirk, gripped his lips as his eyes met the sight of a little girl. Alone in a vast, beautiful garden stood the short dragon demon and a toddler.  
  
"Uncle Hiei?" her soft, light voice cooed innocently at the dragon demon. Hiei slowly crouched down to the child's side. Her raspberry eyes, wide and guiltless, especially for a little three-year-old, stared deeply into his keen crimson ones. He laid a hand on the top of her bushy, red mane, a giggle leaking from her tiny form as he scrambled her wild, fox- like locks playfully. 'Man she's different from Gakilei...and Yukio...and Kane...'  
  
"Yes, Kitsuna?" He grunted kindly, and a tiny giggle pounded from her yet again.  
  
"My name isn't Kitsuna, Uncle Hiei!"  
  
"Your father doesn't mind being called Kitsune...but, alright then, Ai...I'll simply call you by your name," The little girl responded with a broad grin, one that softened Hiei's sharp, dagger heart. "What is it you wished to ask me?"  
  
"Where's mommy and daddy?" her raspberry eyes bobbed up naively into his.  
  
"I don't know, Ai...that demon father of yours is missing again...and I've no idea about your mother..."  
  
"Then why are you here?" she giggled playfully at her "uncle", and Hiei simply grunted a smile.  
  
"I wanted to see my favorite little fox-wolf demon, today," he grinned softly at her, coiling an arm at her legs and scooping her up into the air, the little demi-demon seated slightly on one arm, and supported by the other. "That's a pretty little kimono, Ai."  
  
"Mommy made it!" she giggled lightly while pointing to her new, light- teal kimono, and her beaming laugh reminded Hiei much of the child's bubbly, perky mother, though to be perfectly honest her looks were stronger to her father, the fox himself. The child possessed Kurama's hair, and even the style, bushy and thick, and her face was identical to that of the humanoid fox. The only difference Hiei could see in the child at first glance to the face were her eyes...the color was firmly that of Botan- though the shape was Kurama's.  
  
"Does your tail fit through it?" Hiei teased, though hiding his yearn to smile at the child. Her candy eyes bobbed to face her bushy, crimson fox- tail, tipped in white. It flicked lightly, and she tipped her chin as Botan always had.  
  
"Uh-huh!" she giggled. Hiei chuckled in unison with his adorable little "niece", though honestly he had no idea where the tail came from. In truth, Kurama was a fox...but, he himself didn't even possess a tail...so why did his hybrid daughter have one? Kurama had been reincarnated into a human, and didn't have any of his demon features after his birth as Suichi Minamino. Oh well...it hadn't bothered Kurama or Botan in the least in these past three years of the child's life, and he figured it only made her all the much cuter.  
  
"Hey, Ai," Hiei smirked at the little girl, and she returned the mischievous grin with narrowed eyes.  
  
"Yup?"  
  
"Why don't we play a little prank on mommy and daddy?"  
  
"Hn," a grunt echoed behind the short dragon demon, and Hiei nearly jumped...nearly. For once, the fox had managed to catch the dragon off guard.  
  
Kurama slowly approached the two, a sharp glint in his emerald eyes and a kind smile tugging his lips. He hadn't changed in any way, let his build was even stronger than at fifteen, and his face was a little sharper with age...but only a little. "Like you'd get away with your life, Hiei..."  
  
"Hn," the three-eyed demon grunted in response, a smirk gripping him.  
"Hn!" Ai grunted likewise to her uncle, a fake, angry-looking pout tugging her lower lip. Hiei chuckled lightly at his little niece, and Kurama smiled kindly at his young daughter.  
  
"Ai, honey," Kurama gently scooped the child from Hiei's grasp, cradling her gently in his strong arms. "I've a present for you."  
  
"Really, Daddy?" her candy eyes bobbed lightly into his emerald ones, and the fox grinned at the child.  
  
"Yes," he slowly raised his arm upward towards her face, a white rose held loosely in his hand. He tucked it behind her ear, drawing back most of her bushy hair, but with the exception of a few loose, crimson strands. He grinned at his lovely daughter. "It's your Rose Whip."  
  
Hiei stole a sharp gasp at Kurama's words. "What, Kitsune?"  
  
"She can channel spirit energy into plants, just as I can..." Kurama lazily spoke towards his shoulder at Hiei, a proud grin about his gentle face as he examined his little daughter.  
  
"That can't be..." Hiei shook his head in disbelief. It was enough seeing Yusuke's twin daughter and son each with a spirit gun, and Kuwabara's son with a sword. This whole generation was going to end up exactly like the one before at this rate...same powers as their parents, same personalities as their parents, nothing unique...but it was still impressive at their ages...none of them were even four years old...Hiei could understand Kane's situation...Kuwabara wished his son to reach his fullest potential as early as possible, and with an Ice Demonness mother and a very Spiritually aware father with energy attacks, of course Kane would be able to develop early. In the case with the Urimeshi twins...well, they were simply trained because they were to be Spirit Detectives once they turned fourteen, and Yusuke was to retire...and Yusuke didn't want them to be ill-prepared as he had been...but Ai, daughter of Kurama...one would think her father wouldn't allow her to train her powers until she was a teenager. It seemed very unlike him to encourage her demonic abilities at a toddler's age.  
  
"It is, though...Ai," Kurama gently turned towards the little girl cradled in his strong arms. "Show Uncle Hiei what you can do with your water lilies."  
  
"Okay!" she piped lightly, jumping from her father's hold and towards the garden lake. Hiei watched in disbelief, and Kurama gazed with a broad beam of pride at his little girl. Ai's eyes and arms set firm as she stared solely upon the water lilies, her spirit energy slowly flowing towards them straight from her body heat. Hiei's eyes bulged wide as a silver aura engulfed her tiny body, and shot viciously from her extended hands for the fragile water lilies. In an instant, the lilies shot to life, stained in her aura. A low growl escaped the girl, but she continued. The lilies in turn sprouted heavily, and grew in a sharp speed to ten times their size and amount. Ai's aura slowly dimmed, and the lilies were slowly released of their sharp hold. After a brief pause, Ai giggled lightly, and whirled around quickly to face her father and uncle. Kurama clapped hard, and hoorayed his little girl, Ai beaming. Kurama crouched to his knees and broadened his arms into the air, motioning for her to come. Ai quickly ran into Kurama's arms, hope leaking from her features. "Was that good, Daddy?"  
  
"Yes, it was very, very good, honey!" Kurama hugged her tightly. "With a little training you can learn to use that Rose Whip, just as I mine."  
  
"That was incredible!" Hiei stuttered in shock at the power his toddler "niece" possessed. Kurama cradled the little girl in his arms again, and when Hiei looked to them he at first swore he saw two Kuramas...the hair was the same color, the same cut...the face was the same shape, same features...the only thing that indeed separated them was Botan's eye color tinting the toddler's eyes. Had her eyes only been emerald rather than raspberry, her face would be the carbon copy of Kurama's.  
  
"She's just as keen with plants as I am, and I couldn't be prouder," Kurama played with Ai's bushy mane, a sharp glare of pride staining his eyes glassy.  
  
"Bingo! She certainly does have her father's abilities with plants," another voice piped over the group. Kurama smiled broadly as he slowly turned to face his Botan. Ai giggled in glee in Kurama's hold, and Hiei presented the bluette with a low smirk. In her arms she held a baby, a child of only one year. Kurama slowly approached his wife and infant son...the boy's eyes were those of his father's, a deep, calm emerald, the shape and shade identical to the fox's. Kurama's son was topped with a scraggly mop of sapphire blue hair, that would thicken into a heavy blue mane, and his entire face resembled Botan's. The nose was hers, as was the chin and face shape. Their son, Kisho, lacked the fox-like characteristics his sister possessed-the closest thing to it was his bushy silver wolf tail- and indeed Kurama and Botan could only imagine what he would grow to be able to do. Kurama, still cradling his little Ai, slowly tucked his hand against Kisho's tiny cheek, a joyous smile staining his features. Kurama then eased that hand for Botan's face, and cradled her chin in his cupped fingers. The fox slowly drew her face into his, and they met in a gentle, soft breath of a kiss, each holding the child that more resembled themselves.  
  
Hiei, weighed in exhaust and boredom, slowly approached the couple, now drifting apart from the other's lips, and slowly coiled his arms about the baby. "This is the reason I came over...I wanted to meet my newest nephew," Hiei gazed intently downward to the child in his hold, his ruby gaze locking into Kisho's emerald one. "Naw...who's a widdle baby?" the Dragon sarcastically attempted baby talk, the child nearly breaking out in tears and cries at Hiei's lack of sincerity. The Flame Koorime pulsed in soft chuckles as he eyed the boy gently.  
  
"After all," The flame demon continued without a glance to either parent, "The last time I had seen you, this boy wasn't born yet..." He gently cradled the child with one arm, and with the other, escorted little Ai away from the scene by holding her hand lightly and leading her further into Kurama's thriving garden. "Have fun alone without the children, Kitsune and Plight..." he smirked over his shoulder towards the two. "I'll only babysit them for a short while, so make use of your time alone."  
  
"Thank you, Hiei," Kurama smiled, locking his soft, emerald eyes deep into Botan's candy ones, silence until the Flame demon had ventured out of sight and sound range.  
  
"Hey there, raspberry eyes," he cooed as he drew her against his chest. He gently pressed her eyes shut with his light fingertips, breathing a kiss against both lowered eyelid.  
  
"Hey there, fox," she cooed back, pressing a kiss to the tip of his nose and nestling her head under his chin. There they stood, in each other's arms, his heartbeat swaying her into tranquility and her warm breaths tickling his neck.  
  
From the limb of the tree above, Hiei nestled little Kisho in one arm, and with the other supported Ai on his lap while spying on his fox- friend. "Uncle Hiei, you smell like Uncle Yusuke, Uncle Kazuma, Aunt Yukina, Gakilei, Yukio, and Kane." Hiei pricked in awe at the demi-fox's sense of smell.  
  
"Well, uh...I did spend a limited time with them each today," he mumbled in shock at her fox-like abilities.  
  
"Hn," she grunted with glassy candy eyes. "How come you didn't stay with them longer? Kane's telling me with his Jagon Eye that you only stayed there a couple minutes."  
  
"I actually came here to speak with Kitsune...I haven't seen him or you in over a year...nor have I ever met little Kisho," Hiei smiled kindly at the infant against his arm. "I just saw Yusuke, Kuwabara, Yukina, Gakilei, Yukio, and Kane last week," he chuckled. "Tell my nephew that I'll be coming back soon enough, but right now I'm visiting with people I HAVEN'T seen in a while." With that, Hiei turned gentle eyes for the baby in his arms. "Hey there, Kisho...I'm your uncle Hiei."  
  
Kisho gently cupped his infant palm against Hiei's sharp chin. The fire demon pricked slightly at the warm touch of the child's soft hands, but he quickly relaxed to a gentle smile to the curious little boy.  
  
Hiei slowly cast his sharp scarlet eyes back for the sight of the parents. Kurama and Botan stood at the stone staircase leading downward from the plateau of his garden to their little home. "Go away Hiei..." Kurama breathed firmly without a glance back at his little friend, the fox slowly guiding his mate down the staircase several steps, seating them down against the cool stone to examine the orange sunset ahead.  
  
Kurama leaned towards the left, pressing his upper back to a bamboo tree sprouting just beside the steps. The fox gently cradled Botan's head to his heart, rubbing her shoulder and nestling her against his rock-hard chest. He slowly hummed her favorite tune as he breathed softly into her hair. Botan was an incurable romantic...and Kurama knew this. He, too, was greatly nostalgic, and with this natural manner of being a calm, serene thinker, he knew exactly what to do to make her happy...and in turn himself (a/n: in a non-hentai way!! Pervs...lol). His steady heartbeats pulsed slightly against Botan's cheek, and his soft hums swayed her into a dreamy state.  
  
Hiei grunted softly. "Well, he caught me..." followed by a slight snicker. "He always did...You know, Ai, your father and I go pretty far back..." the Koorime slipped from his steady perch on the limb, gently setting little Kisho to the ground and instantly leaping back upwards to retrieve little Ai. As he glided from the limb again, landing lightly to the ground, he gently planted the toddler to her feet, again scooping his wolf-like "nephew" back in his arms. Hiei loosely pressed his fingers about Ai's little hand, and with the girl skipping lightly at his side, the flame demon began a vast, colorful array of stories involving Kurama...from thieving the Forlorn Hope, to the Adventures of Maze Castle, to the Dark Tournament, and onward, the little toddler completely caught up in the excitement her calm, kind father had lived through at age fifteen to now.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
"Daddy!" a three-year-old girl rushed straight for Hiei. The triclops demon bent low to the girl's side, a smile like none other tainting his lips. "Ryuuhayai!" he sang her name happily. Hiei clasped the girl tightly in his grip, swinging her in frisked circles in the air. Deep laughs spurred from within him at the happy sight of his little daughter. She looked so much like him...black hair streaked in white that spiked outward, but was too long to do so in his manner...it sprouted in thick locks and shot out in random, sharp points leaning downward. A bandana, much like Hiei's, coiled about her forehead, hiding her sharp, scarlet Jagon Eye...one she was born with naturally, as her cousin Kane was...it was the whole trait-that-skips-a-generation thing. Her eyes mirrored his, sharp, keen, and a blood crimson. But her face shape mirrored that of her mother...Hinegeshi.  
  
"How was your visit with Kurama, Hiei?" his scarlet-haired wife smiled kindly. Hiei smiled lightly at his ferry-girl mate...guess Kurama wasn't the only one with a half-demon, half-Spirit-Guide daughter, ne?  
  
"Heh, I got more of a visit with little Ai and the baby than with my actual best friend," Hiei's eyes rolled back in near annoyance at the memory. "Oh well..."  
  
"How is little Ai?" Hinegeshi smiled at her husband, who returned the soft reaction.  
  
"Powerful," Hiei cradled his little girl tightly in his arms. Ryuuhayai giggled lightly, and her form melted into nothingness, tinting the sky in tiny flecks of black every given millisecond. "She's so fast," Hiei crossed his arms calmly, following Ryuuhayai's every move with stinging, keen eyes.  
  
"Yeah, daddy, I've been practicing!" she giggled lightly.  
"It seems all the kids have been practicing..." Hiei smirked. "Gakilei and Yukio can both shoot Spirit Guns that outdo the ones Yusuke had when he was fourteen, Kane is becoming a master swordsman, and Ai can already channel spirit energy into plants."  
  
"My," Hinegeshi blinked slowly. "That's amazing! They have the exact same powers as their parents!"  
  
"Yeah, and the personalities..." Hiei snickered. "Especially Gakilei...Keiko should really keep her separate from Yusuke..."  
  
"Well," the red-head pounded in chuckles. "She does look so much like him..."  
  
"It's almost scary, Hinegeshi...can't these kids be more original?!" Hiei stared solely at his wife, just as a black smear slipped past. Hiei, lacking in a flinch of any kind, caught the little girl by the back of her shirt, dangling her playfully in midair, a foot above the ground...he didn't even throw a glance to his wriggling daughter as she hung by his clutch, but rather continued his conversation as if nothing had happened. "And Ai...if it's not how she looks it's her calm personality...she's going to end up the Kurama, I swear..." Hiei smiled softly at his daughter, and back at his wife.  
  
"Who will be the Hiei?" Hinegeshi smirked slyly at him. Hiei shot a silent blink at his daughter, who blinked straight back, and he shrugged.  
  
"Give her a Katana and definitely Ryuuhayai would be the Hiei of the group."  
  
"YES!" the demi-dragon cheered heartily, wriggling slightly in her cloak as she hung from her collar. "I get a sword like Daddy!"  
  
"Not until you're seven, Ryuu," Hiei contradicted sternly as a father should.  
  
"Awww..." the demi-demonness moaned in complaint at her father's decision, hanging limp as he continued his hold on her collar, still gripping her a foot off the ground.  
  
Hinegeshi chuckled heavily. "And the Botan?"  
  
"Meh..." he shrugged, the shifting of his arms causing a dangling motion on Ryuuhayai, still hanging in his clutch.  
  
"What of the Kuwabara?"  
  
"There won't be a Kuwabara." his eyes narrowed slightly in determination...no way would he let any of the kids prove that illiterate and inexperienced.  
  
"But then, who will Kane symbolize?"  
  
"There will be TWO Hieis...Ryuuhayai and Kane." Hiei nodded slyly, proud at himself...and at the fact that more kids would be like him than anyone else. Hinegeshi could only laugh.  
  
"But, these are only assumptions, darling..." Hinegeshi contradicted sternly. "I suppose we'll have to wait to see how they all end up, ne?"  
  
Hiei gently planted his little daughter to the ground, cupping his hand at her head, and coiling his other arm about Hinegeshi's waist, leading his family back inside their temple home. Once over the threshold, Ryuuhayai instantly zipped inside, rushing for her bedroom, nearly tripping from her sharp speed as she threw off her shoes. When she had gone, Hinegeshi and Hiei watched on with proud smiles. Hinegeshi slowly stepped farther in, attempting to travel through the temple dojo and back to her kitchen...that is, until Hiei, with his god-like speed, had tripped her, and held her in a low dip, her now short crimson locks brushing the slick wood floor.  
  
"H-Hiei!" she stuttered in shock...he hadn't acted like THAT since...er...not for a while. Without another word, the flame demon pressed a kiss against her lips, and, gently parting, slowly straightened her to a full stand, coiling his strong arms about her little form. In a tight, firm hug, Hiei breathed a whisper, "I love you, Hinegeshi...I haven't said so for a while...that little phrase sometimes needs refreshing."  
  
And as instantly as he had whipped into a romantic mood, he clicked back to normal, slowly slipping from his hold and smugly stalking for the kitchen. Hinegeshi smiled softly at the retreating black-clad Dragon. "I love you, too..." she whispered.  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Meanings of the Names:  
  
Gakilei: a fictional name I devised between the Japanese word "Gaki", meaning "punk", and the feminine name "Leiko" meaning "arrogant"  
  
Yukio: gets what he wants (lol sounds like Keiko, doesn't it? And the whole "Yu" thing like his father)  
  
Kane: warrior (if he looks identical to Hiei, wouldn't it only make sense? lol)  
  
Ai: love (I only figured if she's Kurama's kid, it works...she's so darn cute! *dreamy look* so's Kurama...in a VERY different way, though...lol)  
  
Kisho: knows his own mind (he's to be a deep thinker like his father)  
  
Ryuuhayai: (pr: Reyu-hi-ae) a combination of the Japanese words "Ryuu" (dragon) and "hayai" (speed)  
  
%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%~%  
  
Anemone: AWW!! It's SO cute!  
  
Hiei: *reeeeally annoyed* Hn...*secretly is happy his daughter is so cute*  
  
Kurama: *sigh*...*Anemone continues ignoring him.* *SIGH*  
  
Anemone: what, Kurama?  
  
Kurama: oh nothing...*sigh*  
  
Anemone: ok-  
  
Kurama: -it's just, now it's over, and...well...  
  
Anemone: what?  
  
Kurama: *mumblemumble*  
  
Anemone: Hn?  
  
Kurama: *mumblemumble...*  
  
Anemone: ...?  
  
Hiei: he doesn't want it to end...baby...*Kurama half-glares*  
  
Anemone: *overly dramatic, Hiei rolls his eyes* never fear! For I, am Anemone! Another YuYu Hakusho fanfiction will soon appear my friends! *brief pause* Also, *changes from overly-dramatic to normal, Kurama and Hiei collapsing anime style...lol I think I'm the only person who can make them do that* ...I like the kids...I think I'm gonna make a sequel, featuring them when they're all teenagers. Review and tell me if that's a good idea, ne? Ok then...and also point out your fav part, too...and your fav kid lol...Latr!  
  
Kurama: *brightens a little* a sequel? Happy day. I suppose I'm fine, then.  
  
Hiei: go review.  
  
Kurama: Farewell.  
  
Anemone: adieu! Bye! C-ya! Later!  
  
Hiei: Mones, shut up...  
  
Anemone: cheerio! Sayonara! Godspeed!  
  
Hiei: stop it...! *he and Kurama start dragging her away from the readers*  
  
Anemone: auf Wiedersehen! Adios! So long!  
  
Hiei: jeez, shut up!  
  
Kurama: *sweatdrop, awkward chuckle* I think they've established that you'll miss them.  
  
Anemone:...I'll be seeing ya!!...er...other words/phrases that mean Bye!!...  
  
Kurama: enough, Mones...It's over, we must deal with it...*still trying to drag her away*  
  
Anemone: NO! I change my mind!! I don't wanna abandon this story anymore! I can't let go of this story!! *slowly dragging at the turn a corner, out of sight* NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  
  
Kurama: *calling from beyond view, still dragging Anemone away* Don't mind her...we'll be back...all three of us.  
  
Hiei: *heard from beyond view* do I have to?!  
  
Kurama: yes!  
  
Anemone: NO!!!! I can still have chapters!!! This can't be the end!!!  
  
Hiei: jeez and I thought Kurama was having trouble letting it go...  
  
Kurama: I was fine when she said she'd make a sequel...I don't know what's gotten into-OWW!  
  
Hiei: what the-OWW! HEY!  
  
Anemone: *runs back into view, holding a broken bottle that she poked Kurama and Hiei's arms with...stops in front of readers* I'll make more chapters!! *looks back, and starts running again*  
  
Hiei: *runs by after her* get back here, dammit!!!  
  
Kurama: *runs by, stops at readers* You can go now...I have a feeling this scenario's not going to get any more interesting...and don't worry about us...she'll be fine...*as Kurama explains, Hiei and Anemone are seen behind him rolling around on the ground fighting*  
  
Hiei: *on top* IT'S OVER MONES!!  
  
Anemone: *rolls on top* BUT I LIKE THIS STORY!! IT CAN'T END!!  
  
Kurama: *sigh* we're used to this...don't worry...she's not crazy...she's just under the influence of a brownie right now and when things like this happen while she's on a sugar hype she gets a little...rowdy...*Anemone and Hiei are still strangling each other* Adieu, faithful readers...we'll see you at the sequel. Goodbye! *slowly heads for the two, back to the readers, heavy annoyed sigh as he prepares to pry them apart...Hiei and Anemone kicking and screaming as he rips them away from each other* Calm down! Hiei, you should know better by now...  
  
Hiei: *kicking* she started it!! *rolls up sleeve to reveal a really bloody gash* look what that freakin' bottle did!!!!  
  
*Readers walk away as this fight continues...only echoes of Hiei and Anemone screaming at each other as they are left by the fans*  
  
The End. *latr!!* 


End file.
